Ultimately泭this research is to prevent hospitalisations泭and potentially fatal outcomes during pregnancy and early infancy.
The team泭spent泭several泭years泭collating泭immunisation records泭held泭by泭pharmacies,泭general泭practices, and泭the泭Nationwide泭Immunisation泭Register.泭While the泭researchers泭saw泭a steady improvement in the accuracy of data泭captured泭by these sources泭over泭time,泭they estimate泭that泭in 2021泭10%泭of泭maternal immunisations泭were still泭not泭recorded.泭泭
Dr Hobbs泭believes泭this泭can be attributed to the ongoing transition泭away泭from泭older泭systems,泭such as泭the silos泭of泭district health boards,泭to nationwide泭health泭systems such as those to be泭overseen by Te泭Whatu泭Ora and Te Aka泭Whai泭Ora, the Mori Health Authority.泭
Even though the DHBs are no longer operating泭separately,泭some of the infrastructure and data collection systems泭seem to泭still泭be泭in place, he泭says.泭
It takes泭time to develop new data systems but泭right now泭its泭a泭time-consuming泭process泭to泭acquire泭the full data set.泭泭This泭means泭the true picture about泭maternal immunisation泭coverage in some areas is inaccurate.
Te泭Whatu泭Ora is泭currently泭developing泭a泭national system,泭the Aotearoa Immunisation Register泭(AIR)泭to泭replace the aging National Immunisation Register. The new system will泭enable a泭comprehensive泭picture of population immunisation coverage,泭and support泭more targeted泭health policy. Dr Hobbs泭sees泭this as泭a vital step.泭泭
Dr泭Hobbs泭speaks泭very泭highly of the泭research泭team, all of whom brought valuable experience and insight to the project.泭
We泭brought泭a泭real mixture of泭expertise泭together and泭its泭been泭so refreshing泭to work with this team.泭We really gel and泭weve泭already泭identified泭the泭key areas泭wed泭like to泭work on more.泭泭
This泭may include泭future泭research泭to泭study泭data泭regarding泭other vaccines, he says.泭The data flows down to the community泭both indirectly and directly,泭for instance in terms of泭better understanding who needs support.
The study,泭funded by a Health Research Council Activation Grant, has just been泭published in the泭New 厙ぴ勛圖Medical Journal.泭A further study,泭now under泭way with Dr Amber Young and Dr Esther Willing from Otago University,泭focuses on improving the uptake of maternal vaccination across Aotearoa. The data-focused project will help to underpin this research.
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