Abstract
Objectives Sources of immunization data include state registries or immunization information systems (IIS), medical records, and surveys. Little is known about the quality of these data sources or the feasibility of using IIS data for research. We assessed the feasibility of collecting immunization information for a national children’s health study by accessing existing IIS data and comparing the completeness of these data against medical record abstractions (MRA) and parent report. Staff time needed to obtain IIS and MRA data was assessed. Methods We administered a questionnaire to state-level IIS representatives to ascertain availability and completeness of their data for research and gather information about data formats. We evaluated quality of data from IIS, medical records, and reports from parents of 119 National Children’s Study participants at three locations. Results IIS data were comparable to MRA data and both were more complete than parental report. Agreement between IIS and MRA data was greater than between parental report and MRA, suggesting IIS and MRA are better sources than parental report. Obtaining IIS data took less staff time than chart review, making IIS data linkage for research a preferred choice. Conclusions IIS survey results indicate data can be obtained by researchers using data linkages. IIS are an accessible and feasible child immunization information source and these registries reduce reliance on parental report or medical record abstraction. Researchers seeking to link IIS data with large multi-site studies should consider acquiring IIS data, but may need strategies to overcome barriers to data completeness and linkage.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Minnesota, North Carolina, South Dakota and Wisconsin Health Departments for their assistance accessing the IIS registries. This project was conducted by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and funded, through its appropriation, by the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health via National Children’s Study contracts HHSN275200503413C and HHSN275201100005C (North Carolina Study Center), HHSN27520063416C and HHSN275201100004C (South Dakota State University Study Center), and HHSN2752200503396C and HHSN275201100014C (University of Wisconsin Madison Study Center). It was also supported in part by R24 HD050924 awarded to the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Ethel Austin Martin Endowment at South Dakota State University. The views expressed in this paper are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the National Children’s Study, the National Institutes of Health, or the Department of Health and Human Services.
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Fuller, J.E., Walter, E.B., Dole, N. et al. State-Level Immunization Information Systems: Potential for Childhood Immunization Data Linkages. Matern Child Health J 21, 29–35 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2090-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2090-1