Missed opportunities for immunisation in curative and preventive services in a community health centre. A follow-up survey.
OBJECTIVE
To compare prevalences of missed opportunities for immunisation between preventative and curative clinic patients and to evaluate changes 13 months later.


METHODS
Repeat cross-sectional survey of patients' Road to Health cards.


METHODS
A large community health centre in Khayelitsha, South Africa.


METHODS
Patients under 6 years of age.


METHODS
Proportion of children needing immunisation who were not vaccinated during the visit.


RESULTS
At baseline, prevalences (95% confidence intervals) of missed opportunities or immunisation were 15.7% (9.2 - 22.2%) among preventative clinic patients and 92.0% (85.9 - 98.1%) among curative clinic patients. Thirteen months later the respective prevalences were 12.0% (5.0 - 19.0%) and 90.5% (84.6 - 96.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
Separate provision of curative and preventive paediatric care results in many missed opportunities for immunisation in the former service. Fewer opportunities are missed if immunisation services are available all day every day, rather than for limited periods of the week.
Bachmann
M O
MO
Department of Community Health, University of Cape Town.
Barron
P
P
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015995:Prevalence; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000592:standards; D013019:South Africa; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*