This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Guevarra, M. V. C Articles by Burgess, M. A Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Guevarra, M. V. C Articles by Burgess, M. A Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Statewide Survey of General Practitioners in NSW, Australia, about Immunisation and Strategies to Increase Childhood Immunisation Rates

Central Sydney Public Health Unit, Sydney, Australia

Leena Gupta, MPH, FAFPHM

Central Sydney Public Health Unit, Sydney, Australia

Timothy C Heath, MBBS, FRACP

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS)

Margaret A Burgess, AID, FRACP

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS)

A statewide survey was conducted to ascertain GPs' views in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, about the potential usefulness of strategies to increase immunisation rates and to facilitate providing childhood immunisation in their practice. The survey also explored the usefulness of information sources about immunisation. From September 1997-January 1998, a cross-sectional study using a four page self-administered questionnaire was undertaken. Four hundred GPs practising in NSW, Australia were randomly selected and 343 were eligible to participate. Of these, 281 returned a completed questionnaire (82% response rate). Ninety-one percent and 88% of GPs, respectively, agreed that television campaigns or registering children with the national Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) w ere likely to increase immunisation rates. Sixty-two percent of respondents considered that the media created unwarranted parental concern about immunisation. GPs most commonly rated availability of an ACIR list of children overdue for immunisation, better parent educational material and better access to vaccines as strategies which would make immunisation easier. Sixty percent of respondents felt that increased GP payments would be successful in increasing immunisation rates. Only 51% indicated that they had used the "Australian Immunisation Procedures Handbook 6th edition" (a national clinical practice guideline) in the previous month. This study identified GP support for many initiatives aimed at increasing immunisation rates in Australia although GPs were sceptical about the benefits of some programmes. Studies to monitor the impact of GP incentives on immunisation rates in populations and individual practices are underway. These will be useful in determining whether GPs' opinions found in our study correlate with practice in this regard.

Key Words: Childhood immunization • immunisation register • general practitioner • general practice • incentives

Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, Vol. 11, No. 1, 20-25 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/101053959901100105


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?