Misperceptions about influenza vaccination among parents of healthy young children.
A survey was administered to 828 parents from metropolitan Denver, Colorado, and 57% responded. Of the respondents, 47% thought their child was unlikely to contract influenza, 70% thought influenza vaccine could cause influenza, and 21% considered influenza vaccination unsafe for a 1-year-old child. The influenza immunization rate in children of surveyed parents was 71%. In multivariate analyses, the perception that influenza vaccination was the social norm was positively associated with immunization (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.69), and anticipating immunization barriers was negatively associated with immunization (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.95). Parents of young children hold a number of misperceptions about influenza disease and vaccination. Despite this, high immunization rates are achievable in this population.
Daley
Matthew F
MF
Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. daley.matthew@tchden.org
Crane
Lori A
LA
Chandramouli
Vijayalaxmi
V
Beaty
Brenda L
BL
Barrow
Jennifer
J
Allred
Norma
N
Berman
Stephen
S
Kempe
Allison
A
D000328:Adult; D003120:Colorado; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*
D007252:Influenza Vaccines