Dialing up for Teen Shots: Immunization Status of San Diego County Adolescents

Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of this presentation participants will be able to identify selected immunization coverage rates for San Diego County.

Background:
The Healthy People 2010 Objective 14-27 is to increase routine vaccination coverage levels to 90% for adolescents aged 13 to 15 years. Several new vaccines have been recommended for the adolescent age group in the last 5 years.

Objectives:
Estimate and monitor immunization coverage rates among adolescents in San Diego County. Measure knowledge and attitudes concerning newly recommended vaccines and identify opportunities for new vaccine education efforts.

Methods:
Random digit dialing (RDD) telephone surveys were conducted in the month of June, 2006 and July-December 2007. Parents who had a child 11-15 years old in 2006 and 11-18 years old in 2007 were eligible to participate in the 2006 and 2007surveys, respectively. Respectively, 582 and 900 (estimated) parents were interviewed in the 2006 and 2007 surveys.

Results:
Currently, we are collecting 2007 surveys. Registry-based provider verification will be performed at the end of the survey. Results of these surveys will be analyzed to determine the immunization coverage rates of Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, Hep A and Influenza and estimate the uptake of newly recommended vaccines, such as Tdap, HPV and MCV4. Parents' knowledge and attitudes toward new recommended vaccines will be assessed. And the impact of demographic factors on vaccine acceptance will also be measured.

Conclusions:
The surveys monitor local coverage rates, especially for newly recommended vaccines. Barriers to receiving vaccines identified by the studies can be used to assist community health educators to develop effective messages for increasing vaccination coverage rates in the adolescent group.