Immunization status of chronically ill children.

The immunization status of 103 chronically ill children attending five specialty clinics, and 52 otherwise healthy children attending an acute care clinic, was determined using a questionnaire self-administered by parents. The immunization rate in specialty clinics was 72%, compared with 85% in the acute care clinic (P = 0.118). Only the neurology clinic rate (55%) differed significantly from the control (P = 0.014). In patients age 48 months or older, there was a significant association between clinics and overall compliance (P = 0.003). Older specialty clinic patients (79%) tended to be more compliant compared to their younger counterparts (60%) (P = 0.057). No significant association was noted between immunization compliance and source of primary care services or intensity of use of services. Greater efforts are needed to identify underimmunized chronically ill children and to provide the means to bring them into compliance.