AS EVERY GOOD MOTHER SHOULD - CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION IN NEW-ZEALAND -A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Immunization coverage is a cause for concern in both developed and dev eloping countries. In New Zealand immunization uptake rates have been estimated at less than 60% for children under the age of 2 years old. A qualitative exploration of knowledge, experiences and concerns appea red necessary to supplement the quantitative data and offer some expla nations for low uptake. Focus groups and individual interviews were he ld with primary child caregivers in Auckland, a major multi-cultural m etropolis of New Zealand. A total of 67 parents took part of whom 97% were mothers. Discussion focused on identifying the knowledge and expe riences participants had of childhood diseases and immunizations, and on their concerns. Interview data were analysed following construction of role ordered and conceptually clustered matrices. The results demo nstrated limited knowledge and a lack of experience regarding childhoo d diseases. Some mothers conceptualized immunization using a metaphor of 'protection'. Others perceived immunization as socio-politically dr iven and were distrustful of immunization campaigns. Many mothers face d a dilemma about immunization and were highly anxious. There was a gr eater concern about the side effects of immunization than about the si de effects of childhood diseases. This may reflect a 'developed world' view with a difference between the concerns of white middle class mot hers, and those mothers from the Pacific Islands, where common childho od diseases are more endemic. Predominantly the onus for immunization lay with mothers and this was not considered to be sufficiently recogn ized by health service providers. Personalized programmes designed to meet the needs of mothers are required to complement existing populati on oriented immunization programmes.