Failure to return: parental, practice, and social factors affecting missed immunization visits for urban children.

OBJECTIVE

To assess parental, practice, and social factors associated with missed immunization visits by young, urban children.

STUDY DESIGN

Parents of children ≤ 36 months(n = 705) were surveyed. The primary outcome was missed immunization visit, by parental report. Key parent, practice, and social factors were assessed using hierarchical logistical regression. Results. Families were predominantly Latino and publicly insured. Parents who rescheduled (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.27; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.76-6.09) or had problems scheduling appointments (AOR = 4.00; 95% CI = 1.49-10.75) were more likely to miss an immunization visit, as were those with vaccine safety fears (AOR = 3.76; 95% CI = 1.23-11.5) or more limited communication with their provider (AOR = 2.38; 95% CI = 1.05-5.36). Having friends and families with positive immunization views was protective (AOR = 0.030; 95% CI = 0.002-0.41).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights factors that may help urban families keep immunization visits: open communication with providers, flexibility in scheduling appointments, and individual and community education.