Background: Beginning July 1999, students entering seventh grade in California were required to have three doses of hepatitis B vaccine and two doses of MMR. We conducted a series of studies, before and after the law, to understand the law’s impact on families, schools, and the use of preventive services.
Objective(s): Evaluate a middle school entry requirement and draw conclusions that will assist other communities seeking to improve adolescent immunization and preventive services.
Method(s): We employed baseline and post-implementation population based telephone surveys, school-based parent surveys, and surveys of schools.
Results: 1) One year before the law, 16% of sixth grade children had three dose hepatitis B coverage; 2) Overall, 69% of students were compliant at school entry; 3) Only 1.6% elected personal exemptions; 4) Only 61% of parents recalled receiving the federally required vaccine information statement; 5)Of the children subject to the law, 76% had a regular (check-up) with a medical provider in the year prior to the law; 6) Older adolescents, not subject to the requirement, continue to have coverage rates lower than the seventh graders (33% with three doses of hepatitis B) but improved since baseline.
Conclusion(s): Parents reported few barriers in complying and, even among the uninsured, cost was rarely a concern. Though parents were well informed about the law and complied, many would have liked more information about hepatitis B. Though older adolescents, not subject to the law, have regular medical check-ups, missed opportunities for preventive services are very common.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe changes in adolescent immunization rates following a 7th grade school entry mandate. 2. Discuss secondary health benefits of a school entry law. 3. Discuss parent perceptions of an immunization mandate, barriers to compliance, and information needs.
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Immunizations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: NONE
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.