title: Parents' experiences with and preferences for immunization reminder/recall technologies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe parents' experiences and preferences regarding the use of different communication modes for immunization reminder/recall messages.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, Internet-based survey of a nationally representative sample of parents of children 0 to 17 years of age was performed. Survey items included questions regarding previous receipt of reminder/recall notices; preferences for how to receive notices in the future; recentness of changes to home address, home telephone, cell phone, and e-mail information; child's usual site for immunization; and willingness to register cell phone numbers with the child's immunization provider to receive future cell phone or text messages about immunization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 31% of parents had ever received an immunization reminder/recall notice, usually by mail. For future immunization messages, approximately one-third of parents preferred mail or calls to the home telephone, 16% preferred e-mail, and 8% preferred calls to a cell phone. More than one-half of parents had maintained the same home address, home telephone number, cell phone number, or e-mail address for the previous 3 years. More than one-half of parents were willing to register their cell phone numbers with their child's usual immunization provider.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although most parents continue to prefer the traditional modes for immunization reminder/recall messages, 1 in 4 preferred newer technologies, and parents' e-mail and cell phone information was surprisingly stable. More than one-half of the parents were willing to register their cell phone numbers for future immunization messaging via cell phone calls or text messages. Research and implementation efforts might benefit from focusing on this willing population.
authors: Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5456, USA. saclark@umich.edu
authors: Sarah J
authors: SJ
authors: Clark
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Butchart
authors: Allison
authors: A
authors: Kennedy
authors: Kevin J
authors: KJ
authors: Dombkowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods