Background: Maternal characteristics and prenatal care patterns can affect children’s primary care and immunization outcomes.
Objective: To identify maternal and prenatal predictors of immunization outcomes among low-income minority children in New York City.
Methods: We collected demographic, prenatal, and birth data on a cohort of infants born 3/99-8/00 and residing in two low-income Latino and African-American communities in New York City (n=2,181). Immunization data were extracted from the primary care network immunization registry. Outcomes were age-appropriate immunization coverage for DTP, polio, MMR, and Hib (4:3:1:3) and timeliness of the first dose of DTP (<92 days).
Results: 61% of the children were up-to-date with immunizations. Coverage was significantly lower (p<0.05) for children of foreign-born mothers (X2=7.0), unemployed mothers (X2=8.4), and those with late or no prenatal care (X2=13.3). Children of mothers starting prenatal care in the first trimester were 63% up-to-date, compared to 53% of mothers starting care in the last trimester and 41% for those with no prenatal care. The following maternal characteristics were significantly associated (p<0.05) with a child being late for the first dose of DTP: US-born (X2=5.4), uninsured (X2=6.0), not enrolled in WIC (X2=4.4), and late or no prenatal care (X2=17.1)
Conclusions: Patterns of prenatal care were the most important predictors of immunization outcome among infants in a low-income minority community. To influence children’s primary care outcomes, efforts must start with the care of pregnant women, including promotion of early and regular prenatal care.
Learning Objectives: To identify maternal characteristics correlated with childhood immunization outcomes and to describe how the timing of the initiation of prenatal care visits correlates with subsequent immunization for the infant.
Keywords: Prenatal Care, Immunizations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.