Parental knowledge and choice regarding live and inactivated poliovirus vaccines
M. L. Thoms, P. Z. Bodnar, J. C. O'Donovan, E. G. Gouel, J. R. Walcher and N. A. Halsey
Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Md, USA.
BACKGROUND: Concern about the 8 to 10 cases per year of vaccine-associated
paralytic poliomyelitis caused by the live oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV)
has led to revised guidelines for immunization of children in the United
States. The use of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) at 2 and 4 months
of age could require administration of 3 injections per visit until
combination products are available. OBJECTIVE: To determine parents'
knowledge of poliovirus vaccines and the choices they would make between
IPV and OPV. METHODS: Parents of 240 children aged 2 weeks to 18 months
under the care of 10 private pediatricians in the Baltimore, Md,
metropolitan area were interviewed prior to the announcement of revised
advisory committee guidelines. RESULTS: The majority (62.5%) of respondents
were not aware that 2 poliovirus vaccines are available. After reviewing
standardized information about the vaccines and 2 alternate schedules, most
(75%) parents would consult someone (primarily their physician) before
making a final choice of a vaccine schedule. If parents made the choice
without consulting anyone else, 61.3% would choose to have their child
receive IPV and 3 injections per visit as compared with an all-OPV schedule
and 2 injections per visit. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine was preferred by
most parents because it would reduce the risk for vaccine-associated
paralytic poliomyelitis. Oral poliovirus vaccine was preferred by 37.9% of
parents primarily because it was given orally. If the number of injections
at each visit was the same for both vaccines, 76.3% of parents would choose
the IPV schedule, and if the number of injections was reduced to 2 by
combining IPV with another vaccine, 87.9% of parents would choose IPV.
CONCLUSION: The number of injections per visit is an important issue, but a
majority of parents would choose to have their children receive extra
injections to prevent the low risk for vaccine-associated paralytic
poliomyelitis.
