Table 1 Responses by Pediatricians Surveyed in Maryland to a Questionnaire Regarding Attitudes Regarding Influenza Immunization Practices
From: A survey of pediatricians' attitudes regarding influenza immunization in children
Demographics of respondents | Â |
   Median age of practitioners, y (range) | 48 (25–91) |
   Sex, % |  |
Men | 50.3 |
Women | 49.7 |
Size and location of practice | Â |
   Location, % |  |
Suburban | 54.1 |
Urban | 37.2 |
Rural | 6.0 |
Combination | 2.7 |
   Practice size, n |  |
Median (range) | 6000 (30–80,000) |
Mean | 8797 |
   VFC-eligible children in practices, % |  |
Median (range) | 20 (0–100) |
Mean | 32 |
Influenza immunization practices | Â |
   Patients in at-risk categories immunized with influenza vaccine, % |  |
Children aged 6–23 mo | 75 |
Children aged 24–59 mo | 50 |
Children at high risk | 80 |
Household contacts of at-risk individuals | 45 |
   When and where immunization occurs, % |  |
Regular visits | 98.8 |
Sick visits | 74.6 |
Special infkuenza immunization clinics | 72.2 |
   Availability of callback system, % | 39.8 |
   Vaccine types used, % |  |
Thimerosal-free inactivated, median (range) | 50 (0–100) |
Thimerosal-containing inactivated, median (range) | 50 (0–100) |
Live attenuated nasal spray, median (range) | 5 (0–100) |
   How much more burdensome would it be to ask if the parent or a provider ever noted wheezing or asthma in the child (5-point scale; 1 = not at all and 5 = very), % |  |
1 | 54.2 |
2 | 26.0 |
3 | 11.3 |
4 | 5.1 |
5 | 3.4 |
Profitability of influenza immunization | Â |
   How profitable is influenza immunization of children?, % |  |
Cost neutral | 46.5 |
Produces a loss | 14.5 |
Minimally profitable | 36.6 |
   What would improve profitability?, % |  |
Better reimbursement | 56.5 |
Better payment for vaccine administration | 13.7 |
Less costly vaccine | 8.7 |
All other responses | 21.1 |
Participation in school-based immunization programs | Â |
   Would you support a school-based immunization program?, % | 85.7 |
   Would you participate in a school immunization program?, % | 60.8 |
   What would persuade you to participate?, % |  |
Financial remuneration | 57.5 |
Civic involvement | 53.1 |
Source of new patients | 22.9 |
Nothing | 22.3 |
   How might you participate?, % |  |
Off-site consultation | 69.5 |
On-site supervision | 52.5 |
Both on-site and off-site | 38.4 |