Immunization Among African American Children: Implications for Social Work

Although childhood immunizations have proved to be one of the most effective means of preventing and controlling the spread of infectious and communicable diseases, thousands of preschool children, particularly children from urban African American poor families, are not being immunized. This article...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & social work 1996-05, Vol.21 (2), p.105-114
Main Author: Copeland, Valire Carr
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African American children
African Americans
Black American people
Black people
Blacks
Care and treatment
Child
Child, Preschool
Children
Children & youth
Communicable Disease Control - trends
Community Health Services
community organization
Disease Control
Economically Disadvantaged
Female
Forecasting
Health
Health aspects
health care
Health Care Utilization
Health Services Accessibility - trends
Humans
Immunization
Immunization of children
Immunization Programs
Immunization Programs - trends
Infant
Low Income Groups
Male
Medical Services
Patient Care Team - trends
Poor
Poverty Areas
Practice
Preschool Children
Primary health care
Public Health
Role
Self Help Programs
Social work
Social Work - trends
Social Workers
U.S.A
United States
Vaccination
Vaccination - statistics & numerical data
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Description
Summary:Although childhood immunizations have proved to be one of the most effective means of preventing and controlling the spread of infectious and communicable diseases, thousands of preschool children, particularly children from urban African American poor families, are not being immunized. This article discusses the critical problem of low rates of immunization for this population and identifies ways social workers can play an active role in ensuring that more children are immunized. Immunization of preschool children is a function of the interrelationship among health-seeking behavior of parents, financial and nonfinancial barriers to health care, and provider practices that inhibit appropriate immunization. Improving access to existing public programs, facilitating community organization efforts, assisting communities through self-help and mutual-aid initiatives, and supporting national efforts can improve immunization status among poor children.
ISSN:0360-7283
1545-6854
DOI:10.1093/hsw/21.2.105