title: Incomplete immunisation uptake in infancy: maternal reasons.
abstract: We examined uptake of primary immunisations in infancy and the reasons given by mothers for either incompletely or not immunising their infants. We used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a cohort of 18,819 infants born between September 2000 and January 2002 in the UK. 95.6% infants were reported to be fully immunised, 3.3% partially immunised and 1.1% unimmunised. Mothers most frequently cited medical reasons (45%) for partial immunisation (n=697), but beliefs or attitudes (47%) for no immunisation (n=228). An understanding of maternal reasons for incomplete immunisation status may assist in identifying appropriate interventions to maximise uptake.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lamiya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samad
authors.forename: Neville
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peckham
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bedford
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology