School-located influenza immunization programs: factors important to parents and students.
OBJECTIVE
To describe both parent and student perspectives on the importance of various programmatic factors when deciding to participate in a school-located immunizations program (SLIP) for influenza vaccine.


METHODS
Questionnaires were distributed to middle- and high-school students and their parents; the document assessed demographic data, influenza vaccination history, and the importance of various factors in their decision to participate in a potential SLIP for influenza vaccine. Factor analysis created six primary factors of importance related to programming: (1) safety/trust; (2) outbreaks (representing imminent threat of disease, an environmental factor associated with program timing); (3) issues of site implementation; (4) public health benefits; (5) record-keeping; (6) medical/emotional support.


RESULTS
Participants included 621 students and 579 parents; 566 student/parent dyads were included. Most respondents were female, felt it is important to be immunized against the flu, and received the influenza vaccine in the past. Fewer than 50% had received the intranasal vaccine. More parents (67%) than students (46%) expressed a general willingness to consent to utilizing a SLIP. The programmatic factors associated with public health were second only to safety/trust factors as the most important to parents and students when considering participation in a SLIP. Demographic variables were found to be associated with the importance ratings of program factors associated with participation in a SLIP.


CONCLUSIONS
When considering possible participation in SLIPs, parents and students consider programmatic factors associated with safety/trust and public health benefits to be of the greatest importance. Further study will be needed to develop effective and culturally sensitive messaging that targets and emphasizes these factors to potentially increase participation in SLIPS.
Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research, Houston, TX, USA. amym@bcm.edu
Amy B
AB
Middleman
Mary B
MB
Short
Jean S
JS
Doak
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D007252:Influenza Vaccines