Journal article
Does the Vaccines for Children Program Influence Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Referral of Disadvantaged Children to Public Vaccine Clinics?
Maternal and child health journal, Vol.4(1), pp.53-58
03/2000
DOI: 10.1023/A:1009582919267
PMID: 10941760
Abstract
Objective: Concerns about financial barriers to vaccination led to the creation of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which provides free vaccines to states for disadvantaged children. Our objective was to understand the effect of free vaccine and insurance on pediatric nurse practitioners' (PNPs) likelihood of referring children to public vaccine clinics. Although referral from the medical home to public vaccine clinics is preferable to not vaccinating, there are disadvantages, including the potential for windows of inadequate protection and fragmentation of care. Methods: A standardized survey was conducted by trained personnel using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. We interviewed a national random sample of primary care PNPs in 1997. Results: In 1997, 252 of 271 (93%) directly contacted PNPs were interviewed. The percentage of respondents receiving free vaccines was 82%. Among PNPs not receiving free vaccines, the percentages stating that they were likely to refer insured, Medicaid insured, and uninsured children to public vaccine clinics were 7%, 27%, and 67%, respectively. In contrast, among PNPs receiving free vaccines, only 46% would refer an uninsured child and 10% a Medicaid child. Conclusions: Most respondents received free vaccine supplies in 1997. Based on current PNP data and previous physician data, most clinicians who do not receive free vaccine supplies are likely to refer uninsured children to public vaccine clinics. In contrast, clinicians who receive free vaccine supplies are much more likely to vaccinate uninsured and Medicaid-insured children.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Does the Vaccines for Children Program Influence Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Referral of Disadvantaged Children to Public Vaccine Clinics?
- Creators
- Richard Zimmerman - Department of Health Services Administration, Graduate School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaSusan Van Cleve - Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program, School of Nursing University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaAnne Medsger - Department of Health Services Administration, Graduate School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaMahlon Raymund - Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, School of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaJudith Ball - Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, School of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Maternal and child health journal, Vol.4(1), pp.53-58
- Publisher
- Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers; New York
- DOI
- 10.1023/A:1009582919267
- PMID
- 10941760
- ISSN
- 1092-7875
- eISSN
- 1573-6628
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2000
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9984064270402771
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