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June 14, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"AAP Survey Finds Improved Use of Varicella Vaccine"

Infectious Diseases in Children (www.idinchildren.com) (05/02) Vol. 15, No. 5, P. 26; Monzo, Jill

A survey by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) indicates that 94 percent of pediatricians offered the varicella vaccine to their 12-month-old to 18-month-old patients in 2000, up from just 69 percent in 1997.  Furthermore, 90 percent say they offered the vaccine to all patients between the ages of 18 months and 13 years, up from 64 percent.  The primary barriers to varicella vaccine offerings that were present in 1997, including location and different coverages depending on the physician practice, had disappeared by 2000.  A new obstacle, however, is the lack of requirement by some child care services or school districts for the vaccine, which was the reason doctors cited 24 percent of the time for not offering the vaccine.

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