Lack of MoneyBarrier to Immunization
1 Dept of Clinical Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Division of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
2 Depts of Pediatrics and Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota
3 Dept of Family Practice, University of Minnesota
To the Editor.
Schulte et al1 reported in 1991 that 73% of participating Dallas County, Texas, primary care physicians referred some children to immunization clinics in 1988. As a pilot project, we interviewed 31 of 37 (84%) eligible board-certified primary care physicians in urban/suburban areas across Minnesota. Participants rated the likelihood of referring children with various types of insurance coverage to public clinics for immunization. More physicians (52%) were likely to refer children from economically disadvantaged homes without insurance than either children who had Medicaid coverage (10%, P < .001) or private insurance (0%, P < .001).




