Efforts to control and eradicate infectious disease have concentrated on the provision of childhood vaccination. Unfortunately, the uptake of childhood vaccination continues to vary and infectious diseases continue to cause differential morbidity and mortality. Limited research has assessed the factors that underlie the uptake of vaccination. The present research undertakes an analysis of the patterns and determinants of vaccination uptake within the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Health Authority, located in the south of England. In so doing, the research employs different analytical approaches, from the traditional ecological analysis through descriptive mapping and multivariate regression, to the innovative multi-level analyses. The ecological analysis shows a distinct geography to the uptake of vaccination which reflects characteristics of socioeconomic deprivation. Further analysis through multilevel modelling, emphasizes two influences on the uptake of vaccination. First, parental characteristics, which affect their role as decision maker and their ability to overcome certain time-space constraints to attend. Second, the ways in which the service is provided, including the influence of the health professional as adviser and provider of vaccination and the initiatives employed to improve uptake. These findings have implications for the future provision of childhood vaccination. Specifically, the research provides the opportunity to identify and target children unlikely to complete their vaccination schedule and the need to improve and standardise health professional knowledge and advice to parents.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:332849 |
| Date | January 1993 |
| Creators | Clegg, Andrew J. |
| Publisher | University of Portsmouth |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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