142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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299422
Vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of New Mexico (NM) vaccine exemptors

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 : 10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Karen Scherzinger, MS , NM Emerging Infections Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Angela Tang, MPH , Infectious Disease Epidemiology Bureau, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM
David Selvage, MHS, PA-C , Infectious Disease Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health
Elisa Potter, MPH , Immunization Program, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM
Joan Baumbach, MD, MS, MPH , Infectious Disease Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health
The New Mexico (NM) Department of Health requires a formal exemption process for children who cannot show documentation of required vaccination before daycare/school attendance. NM vaccine exemption rates have increased threefold since 1999. A telephone survey was designed to characterize NM families submitting exemption forms.

Telephone interviews were attempted with all NM families who requested a 2011 exemption. Respondents were assigned to “slightly/somewhat hesitant” and “very hesitant” groups based on self-described vaccine hesitancy level. Chi-square tests were performed to identify differences in modifiable knowledge, attitudes and behaviors between groups (p≤0.05).

Of 3,372 eligible vaccine exemptors, 729 families completed interviews. Analysis was limited to slightly/somewhat hesitant (286) and very hesitant (389) respondents. While a similarly high proportion of both groups felt they were knowledgeable about vaccines (97% and 99%, respectively) and felt comfortable discussing vaccine concerns with their child’s provider, there were significant differences in their beliefs. Slightly/somewhat hesitant parents more often agreed that vaccines are important to prevent community disease spread (75% vs. 32%, p≤0.05), while very hesitant parents were more likely to report that they felt some vaccines caused autism (72% vs. 48%, p≤0.05), that natural immunity (by getting the disease) was better than vaccines (72% vs. 47%, p≤0.05), and that they could adequately protect their children without vaccines (86% vs. 51%, p≤0.05). The perception of “harmful additives” was important to both groups, while a larger proportion of slightly/somewhat hesitant parents reported they would vaccinate their children using an alternative schedule. Significant differences were also noted in vaccine information source and primary care provider choice.

Several vaccine-related belief differences were identified between slightly/somewhat hesitant and very hesitant families. Results will allow the state health department to tailor vaccine messaging.

Learning Areas:

Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control

Learning Objectives:
Describe differences in vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors between slightly/somewhat vaccine hesitant and very vaccine hesitant parents. Identify areas for tailoring vaccine messaging.

Keyword(s): Immunizations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am coordinator of two federally-funded special studies involving vaccine-preventable diseases. I have over 10 years experience with data analysis.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.