title: State-Level Immunization Information Systems: Potential for Childhood Immunization Data Linkages.
abstract: Objectives Sources of immunization data include state registries or immunization information systems (IIS), medical records, and surveys. Little is known about the quality of these data sources or the feasibility of using IIS data for research. We assessed the feasibility of collecting immunization information for a national children's health study by accessing existing IIS data and comparing the completeness of these data against medical record abstractions (MRA) and parent report. Staff time needed to obtain IIS and MRA data was assessed. Methods We administered a questionnaire to state-level IIS representatives to ascertain availability and completeness of their data for research and gather information about data formats. We evaluated quality of data from IIS, medical records, and reports from parents of 119 National Children's Study participants at three locations. Results IIS data were comparable to MRA data and both were more complete than parental report. Agreement between IIS and MRA data was greater than between parental report and MRA, suggesting IIS and MRA are better sources than parental report. Obtaining IIS data took less staff time than chart review, making IIS data linkage for research a preferred choice. Conclusions IIS survey results indicate data can be obtained by researchers using data linkages. IIS are an accessible and feasible child immunization information source and these registries reduce reliance on parental report or medical record abstraction. Researchers seeking to link IIS data with large multi-site studies should consider acquiring IIS data, but may need strategies to overcome barriers to data completeness and linkage.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7460, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7460, USA. Jill_Fuller@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University, DUMC 3675, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Emmanuel B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Campus Box 8120, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dole
authors.affiliation: Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Campus Box 8120, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7420, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7420, USA.
authors.forename: Amy H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.affiliation: Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 789 WARF, 610 Walnut Street, Madison, WI, 53726, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, South Dakota State University, Box 506, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA.
authors.forename: Bonny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Specker
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, South Dakota State University, Box 506, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA.
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wey
mesh_terms: D005380:Financing, Government / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D007256:Information Systems / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D013219:State Government
keywords: Children; Data linkages; Immunization information system; Immunizations