Beliefs and practices regarding childhood vaccination among urban pediatric providers in New Jersey.

Background: In 1991, the fourth largest measles outbreak in the nation (824 cases) occurred in the Jersey City, New Jersey area. Data from a subsequent intervention trial in Jersey City demonstrated that vaccinations were more likely to be delayed for children who had received care from private rather than public clinic providers. In addition, failure to administer multiple indicated vaccines at a single visit was associated with vaccination delay, and reluctance to administer multiple vaccines was more common among private providers. These findings prompted an investigation of vaccination beliefs and practices among urban pediatric providers.

Methods: A telephone survey of vaccination beliefs and practices was administered to all pediatric providers in both private and public clinics in the Paterson and Jersey City areas.

Results: Private providers were less likely than public clinic providers to consider vaccinating children during emergency room visits (relative risk [RR] = 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-4.2) or hospital admissions (RR = 13.2; 95% CI = 1.9-92.7) and less likely to believe that all recommended vaccine doses should be administered simultaneously (RR = infinite; lower 95% confidence limit = 3.0). Private providers were less likely to consider administering live-virus vaccines to children with minor acute illnesses and low-grade fever (RR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.2-3.8) or killed-virus vaccines to children with minor acute illnesses without fever (RR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.4-8.5) or with low-grade fever (RR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.2-3.9). Private providers were more likely to believe that multiple injections should be avoided because of potential psychological and physical trauma to the child (RR = 4.0; 95% CI = 1.3-12.3).

Conclusions: Adherence to Standards for Pediatric Immunization Practices by pediatric providers could improve vaccine coverage rates among urban children.