Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
Learning Objective: By the end of the presentation participants will be able to understand methods for developing evidence-based immunization educational materials for parents considering an immunization exemption for their child.


Background:
Background: There are few immunization educational materials specifically tailored for parents considering immunization exemptions.

Objectives:
Objectives: To compare the attitudes and beliefs of parents who filed or considered filing an immunization exemption for their child (0-5 years) and/or would not have their child immunized if it were not required by law (cases) to controls, and develop and evaluate an intervention (brochure) for parents considering an exemption.

Methods:
Methods: We used responses to questions administered through the ConsumerStyles mail survey in 2004 and 2005 to identify cases and controls. The study had three phases: Phase 1 Telephone interview to obtain vaccine attitudes of cases and controls and provide data for intervention; Phase 2 Telephone focus group to provide feedback on intervention; and Phase 3 Pre- and post-intervention mail surveys to test effect of intervention on parents considering an exemption.

Results:
Results: Response rate for the ConsumerStyles survey was 62.1% in 2004 and 63.2% in 2005. Compared with controls, cases were more likely to disagree or be neutral that vaccines are safe for children (AOR=3.6; 95%CI, 1.6-7.9) and that they trust the US healthcare system to care for their child (AOR=2.5; 95%CI=1.2- 5.2) and to agree or be neutral that children get more immunizations than are good for them (AOR=4.6; 95%CI=2.3-9.2). While the intervention did not significantly improve parents' immunization attitudes compared to attitudes of parents who didn't receive it, a majority of parents who received the intervention trusted and had a positive impression of it, and reported it gave them new information.

Conclusions:
Conclusion: An evidence-based educational intervention for parents considering a vaccine exemption may help move parents toward an improved opinion of childhood vaccines.