Mary B Short1, Amy B Middleman2. 1. Psychology; University of Houston Clear Lake; Houston, TX USA. 2. Pediatrics; Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; Oklahoma City, OK USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: To describe adolescents' perspectives regarding the use of school-located immunization programs (SLIP) for influenza vaccination. More importantly, adolescents were asked what factors would make them more or less likely to use a SLIP offering influenza vaccine. RESULTS: Participants were generally found to be knowledgeable about influenza and to have positive attitudes toward receiving the vaccine via SLIP. Students were more willing to participate in a SLIP if it were low cost or free, less time-consuming than going to a doctor, and if they felt they could trust vaccinators. Overall, high school and middle school students ranked the benefits of SLIP similarly to each other. METHODS: Focus groups using nominal group method were conducted with middle and high school students in a large, urban school district. Responses were recorded by each school, and then, responses were ranked across all participating schools for each question. CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of issues are important to middle and high school students when considering participation in SLIPs including convenience, public health benefits, trust in the program, program safety, and sanitary issues. Further research will be needed regarding the generalizability of these findings to larger populations of students.
INTRODUCTION: To describe adolescents' perspectives regarding the use of school-located immunization programs (SLIP) for influenza vaccination. More importantly, adolescents were asked what factors would make them more or less likely to use a SLIP offering influenza vaccine. RESULTS:Participants were generally found to be knowledgeable about influenza and to have positive attitudes toward receiving the vaccine via SLIP. Students were more willing to participate in a SLIP if it were low cost or free, less time-consuming than going to a doctor, and if they felt they could trust vaccinators. Overall, high school and middle school students ranked the benefits of SLIP similarly to each other. METHODS: Focus groups using nominal group method were conducted with middle and high school students in a large, urban school district. Responses were recorded by each school, and then, responses were ranked across all participating schools for each question. CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of issues are important to middle and high school students when considering participation in SLIPs including convenience, public health benefits, trust in the program, program safety, and sanitary issues. Further research will be needed regarding the generalizability of these findings to larger populations of students.
Authors: Cynthia M Rand; Laura P Shone; Christina Albertin; Peggy Auinger; Jonathan D Klein; Peter G Szilagyi Journal: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med Date: 2007-03
Authors: James C King; Jeffrey J Stoddard; Manjusha J Gaglani; Kristine A Moore; Laurence Magder; Elizabeth McClure; Judith D Rubin; Janet A Englund; Kathleen Neuzil Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2006-12-14 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Candace Lind; Margaret L Russell; Judy MacDonald; Ramona Collins; Christine J Frank; Amy E Davis Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-03-31 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Sarah Perman; Simon Turner; Angus I G Ramsay; Abigail Baim-Lance; Martin Utley; Naomi J Fulop Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2017-03-14 Impact factor: 3.295