Ask and you shall be given: practice based immunisation coverage information.

AIMS

To investigate a method for obtaining immunisation information, and investigate the variation in immunisation coverage levels between practices.

METHOD

The Wellington Area Health Board computer identified all children born in the first half of 1990 with a general practitioner in the Wellington district. The general practitioner provided the child's immunisation status, if still with the practice. The characteristics of the practice were tested for association with the immunisation coverage level.

RESULTS

The method identified approximately 80% of the target population. Most (97%) of the general practitioners agreed to provide immunisation information on the identified children. Immunisation information was obtained on 841 children, or about 65% of the total cohort. The percentage of the children fully immunised in each practice varied from 0% to 100%. An index of neediness of the children in the practice, was the only identified factor which explained variation between practices. Recall systems were neither necessary nor sufficient for obtaining high coverage in these practices.

CONCLUSIONS

The study method could form the basis of a system of gathering immunisation coverage information which assists general practitioners with immunisation recall.