Current Research in Communicating with Parents: What Have We Learned from Parents and Physicians?

Background:
Understanding the vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of parents and physicians is an essential first step in effective vaccine communication.

Objectives:
Describe the results of five vaccine communication research projects with parents and physicians.

Methods:
In 2008, the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) conducted several research projects to better understand the current vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of parents and physicians. These included: 1) focus group research with 164 first-time mothers in three cities, 2) a national mail survey of 608 parents of children aged six years and under, 3) an online survey of 400 mothers to test four draft fact sheets, and 4) in-depth interviews with 33 practicing physicians (21 pediatricians and 12 family physicians) in three cities. Results from a vaccine knowledge and attitudes module of the National Immunization Survey will also be discussed.

Results:
Mothers in the focus groups reported that while vaccines were important to their children's health, they had many questions and concerns. Similarly, the mail survey of parents found that while 73% of parents were confident in vaccine safety, concerns such as pain from shots (43%) and the number of shots given at once (40%) were common. Online testing of four draft fact sheets demonstrated that materials developed to address mothers' vaccine questions and concerns were clear, useful, and trusted. In-depth interviews with physicians showed that vaccine safety was a major issue for all physicians; in addition, some physicians reported that vaccine administration was becoming burdensome.

Conclusions:
An understanding of the current vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of parents and physicians has helped NCIRD respond to questions and concerns about childhood immunizations. Research is ongoing, and is being used to inform the development of health communication messages and materials as part of CDC's Childhood Immunization Campaign.