Lexie
08-03-09, 07:13 PM
US study: NICU setting for vaccination in parents of high-risk infants? (http://www.nelm.nhs.uk/en/NeLM-Area/News/2008---September/10/US-study-NICU-setting-for-vaccination-in-parents-of-high-risk-infants/)
In the US, tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (TdaP) vaccination is recommended for previously unvaccinated adults who are in contact with infants who are younger than 12 months and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
In this study the researchers evaluated the feasibility of administering the TdaP vaccine to parents in a level III NICU and to measure its effect on vaccination rates among parents of this high-risk population.
For a 4-month period, all parents of NICU-admitted infants were informed of the risks and benefits of TdaP vaccination. All staff were educated about the dangers of pertussis infection and the importance of offering vaccination to parents was emphasized.
A total of 352 children (aged 23-42 weeks) were admitted to the NICU and 495 (82.8%) parents were offered TdaP vaccination (baseline vaccination rate <2%). 430 parents received TdaP, yielding a vaccination rate of 86.9% in the screened population. Fifty-five parents (11.1%) refused vaccination, claiming that pertussis was an insignificant health threat or because of disbelief in the vaccine. In 10 parents (2%), vaccination was medically contraindicated.
The 54 infants whose parents were not offered vaccine had a significantly shorter length of stay, higher birth weight, and higher gestational age than parents who were offered vaccine. TdaP vaccination was well tolerated and no allergic reactions were noted.
The authors concluded that the NICU is an effective means of increasing vaccination rates of parents of this population.
My thoughts:
The nerve of them using the state of people's children to push their agenda. And they have the time to waste doing retarded studies like this? The way I see it, a lot of people need to be fired.
In the US, tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (TdaP) vaccination is recommended for previously unvaccinated adults who are in contact with infants who are younger than 12 months and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
In this study the researchers evaluated the feasibility of administering the TdaP vaccine to parents in a level III NICU and to measure its effect on vaccination rates among parents of this high-risk population.
For a 4-month period, all parents of NICU-admitted infants were informed of the risks and benefits of TdaP vaccination. All staff were educated about the dangers of pertussis infection and the importance of offering vaccination to parents was emphasized.
A total of 352 children (aged 23-42 weeks) were admitted to the NICU and 495 (82.8%) parents were offered TdaP vaccination (baseline vaccination rate <2%). 430 parents received TdaP, yielding a vaccination rate of 86.9% in the screened population. Fifty-five parents (11.1%) refused vaccination, claiming that pertussis was an insignificant health threat or because of disbelief in the vaccine. In 10 parents (2%), vaccination was medically contraindicated.
The 54 infants whose parents were not offered vaccine had a significantly shorter length of stay, higher birth weight, and higher gestational age than parents who were offered vaccine. TdaP vaccination was well tolerated and no allergic reactions were noted.
The authors concluded that the NICU is an effective means of increasing vaccination rates of parents of this population.
My thoughts:
The nerve of them using the state of people's children to push their agenda. And they have the time to waste doing retarded studies like this? The way I see it, a lot of people need to be fired.