Objectives: This study sought to provide a characterization of US childhood vaccination providers.
Methods: The state was used as the analytic unit in examining 1997 data from the National Immunization Survey and the Vaccines for Children program, state immunization reports, and natality records.
Results: Overall, 57% of children were vaccinated in the private sector, 18% were vaccinated in the public sector, and 25% were vaccinated by a mixture of providers. Of the 50 883 immunization sites, 81% were private and 19% public. Average patient load was 77 infants per site. Private-sector patient loads were lower than public-sector loads.
Conclusions: US childhood vaccination provider capacity is adequate. Efforts to raise coverage rates should focus on increasing preventive care use among children, improving the vaccination performance of providers, and ensuring continuity of care.