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