KEYWORD1:
Survey Physicians

BACKGROUND:
Increased vaccination coverage has resulted in the virtual elimination of several childhood diseases. However, as concern about disease has decreased, more attention has been focused on the adverse events following vaccination. This focus may affect the attitudes of parents and providers and lead to decreased immunization rates and outbreaks of disease. Although recent studies have investigated the perceptions of physicians and patients regarding vaccine safety, these cross-sectional surveys have been limited to one point in time. Moreover, the link between reported perceptions and actual behavior has been difficult to discern. The National Primary Care Physician Immunization Survey is an effort to obtain longitudinal and nationally representative data on vaccination attitudes and practices of pediatricians and family physicians, and their patients.

OBJECTIVE:
This presentation will discuss the survey methodology and preliminary results from the first round of the survey.

METHOD:
Repeated surveys from a nationally represented primary care physican cohort.

RESULT:
The methodology and results from the first phase of this research effort (in progress) will be presented

CONCLUSION:
Although recent studies have investigated the perceptions of physicians and patients regarding vaccine safety, these cross-sectional surveys have been limited to one point in time. Moreover, the link between reported perceptions and actual behavior has been difficult to discern. The National Primary Care Physician Immunization Survey is an effort to obtain longitudinal and nationally representative data on vaccination attitudes and practices of pediatricians and family physicians, and their patients.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of the program, the participant should be able to state four possible trends in physician perceptions
about vaccine safety