Adoption of rotavirus vaccination by pediatricians and family medicine physicians in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
The goals were to assess, among pediatricians and family medicine physicians, (1) rates of offering the vaccine in their office; (2) knowledge of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations; (3) barriers to use; and (4) factors associated with offering the vaccine.


METHODS
Surveys of pediatricians and family medicine physicians were conducted in August to October 2007.


RESULTS
Response rates were 84% for pediatricians and 79% for family medicine physicians (N = 623). Proportions routinely offering the vaccine were 85% of pediatricians and 45% of family medicine physicians (P < .0001); 70% of pediatricians and 22% of family medicine strongly recommended the vaccine (P < .0001). Sixty-two percent of pediatricians and 32% of family medicine physicians (P < .0001) knew the age by which all 3 doses should be completed. Definite barriers to vaccine use included reported lack of coverage by insurance companies (family medicine physicians: 22%; pediatricians: 19%; not significant), costs of purchasing vaccine (family medicine physicians: 22%; pediatricians: 17%; not significant), lack of adequate reimbursement (family medicine physicians: 18%; pediatricians: 15%; not significant), concerns about safety (family medicine physicians: 25%; pediatricians: 9%; P < .0001), and concerns about adding another vaccine to the schedule (family medicine physicians: 22%; pediatricians: 5%; P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Rates of offering the new rotavirus vaccine are high among pediatricians but <50% among family medicine physicians. Both specialties identified financial barriers to use of the vaccine, but family medicine physicians had significantly more concerns about safety and about adding another vaccine to the vaccination schedule.
Kempe
Allison
A
Department of aPediatrics, School of Medicine, Colorado School of Public Health,University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA. kempe.allison@tchden.org
Patel
Manish M
MM
Daley
Matthew F
MF
Crane
Lori A
LA
Beaty
Brenda
B
Stokley
Shannon
S
Barrow
Jennifer
J
Babbel
Christine
C
Dickinson
L Miriam
LM
Tempte
Jonathan L
JL
Parashar
Umesh D
UD
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010372:Pediatrics; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines