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Impact Of The Childhood Vaccine Discussion Format Over Time On Immunization Status, Douglas J. Opel, Chuan Zhou, Jeffrey D. Robinson, Nora Henrikson, Katherine Lepere, Rita Mangione-Smith, James A. Taylor

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: Presumptive formats to initiate childhood vaccine discussions (e.g. “Well we have to do some shots.”) have been associated with increased vaccine acceptance after one visit compared to participatory formats (e.g. “How do you feel about vaccines?”). We characterize discussion format patterns over time and the impact of their repeated use on vaccine acceptance.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal prospective cohort study of children of vaccine-hesitant parents enrolled in a Seattle-based integrated health system. After the child’s 2, 4, and 6 month visits, parents reported the format their child’s provider used to begin the vaccine discussion (presumptive, participatory, or …