Esther K. Chung1, Susan Fernyak
2, Janet Zola
2, Patricia E. Evans
3, and Michelle Pepitone
4. (1) Formerly with the Division of General Pediatrics, UCSF, 25 Wellesley Road, Swarthmore, PA, USA, (2) Communicable Disease Prevention Unit, San Fran. Dept. of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 710, San Francisco, CA, USA, (3) Division of Maternal and Child Health, San Fran. Dept. of Public Health, 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 260, San Francisco, CA, USA, (4) San Fran. Immunization Coalition, 101 Grove Street, Room 408, San Francisco, CA, USA
KEYWORDS:
immunizations; African American; focus groups
BACKGROUND:
The immunization rate for African American (AA) two-year-olds in San Francisco (SF) is 57%, well below the overall rate of 70%.
OBJECTIVE(S):
To identify immunization promoters and barriers for AA children.
METHOD(S):
Focus groups in 5 SF neighborhoods with caregivers of AA children ages 6 months to 3 years. Feelings about immunizations (IZs), vaccine schedules and safety, provider relationships, and IZ promoters and barriers were discussed.
RESULT(S):
We conducted 7 focus groups consisting of 63 participants (6-15 per group). The mean age was 33 (range, 16-58) years. Participants were AA (100%), and predominantly female (90.5%). Of the 87% of participants that completed high school, 4.8% held bachelors degrees. 52% of participants had annual incomes of $10,000 or less, 40% were unemployed, 54% were single, 48% received Medicaid, and 53% attended hospital-based clinics. Caregivers felt IZs were important and safe, and were aware of a vaccine schedule. Concerns about vaccine contents and experiments, rushed medical personnel, long office waits, and poor treatment of AAs and Medicaid recipients were identified as barriers to receiving IZs. Caregivers reported widespread use and success of certain promoters, such as IZ cards, posters and charts; mail and phone reminders; and personal responsibility. Recommendations for improving IZ rates included the recruitment of more AA medical personnel, increased community outreach and advertisements; and further information about vaccine preventable diseases and the need for a vaccine schedule.
CONCLUSIONS(S):
Caregivers of young AA children report widespread use of promoters including: vaccine reminders, cards, posters and charts. Barriers that must be addressed to improve IZ rates among AAs include the lack of AA medical personnel and the stigmatization associated with being AA and/or on Medicaid.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1) Understand that racial disparities in immunization rates exist.
2) Identify immunization promoters and barriers.
3) Discuss ways to improve immunization rates for AA children.
See more of Immunization Programs, Barriers, and Cultural Issues in Minority Communities
See more of The 36th National Immunization Conference
