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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Marie Tarrant, RN MPH PhD, Department of Nursing Studies, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M. W. Mong Block, Faculty of Medicine, 21 Sassoon Rd., Hong Kong, 00000, Hong Kong, +852 2819 2643, tarrantm@hku.hk

According to contemporary behavioral theories, health beliefs about preventive health actions are expected to determine health behaviors. The aims of this study were to explore Hong Kong parents' health beliefs about childhood immunizations and to identify factors that were most predictive of age-appropriate immunization. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 364 Hong Kong parents to measure health beliefs, to assess their child's immunization status, and to assess the relationship between health beliefs and demographic variables and immunization status. The results revealed that parental health beliefs were largely positive and most parents perceived that immunizations were beneficial and important for their children. Statistical analysis showed that health beliefs were not strongly associated with immunization status. Logistic regression showed that children who were born outside Hong Kong (OR=5.95) and children who did not receive immunizations from publicly-funded child health clinics (OR=5.51) were significantly less likely to be age-appropriately immunized. This research is the first to document the immunization-related health beliefs of a Chinese population and as such provides insight which could prove helpful to providers trying to improve uptake rates among other populations. This study supports existing data that parental health beliefs are unrelated to immunization status. Immigrant children and those not receiving care through publicly funded clinics are at higher risk of under-vaccination and need to be followed more closely.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify the relationships between parental health beliefs and childhood immunization status in Hong Kong.
• To identify factors that were most predictive of age-appropriate immunization in Hong Kong children.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation