Health Diaries for Monitoring Events Following Immunization

The present study set out to determine the validity of the information and the feasibility of using health diaries to monitor vaccine adverse events. Mothers of children about to receive DPT vaccine were asked to keep a diary of their child’s health and their doctors were randomized into one of three groups: 1) a close follow-up (CFG); 2) a telephone follow-up (TFG); or 3) a mail follow-up group (MFG). Diary return rates were good at 98.8%, 82.5%, and 86.2% for the CFG, TFG, and MFG groups respectively. Agreement between the parent and nurse on the existence of common symptoms was high, varying from 89.9% to 98.7%; redness and swelling was high at 78.5% and 96.2% respectively; and axillary temperatures was lower from 71.6% up. This study found that health diaries were a valid and complete method for monitoring the most common types of vaccine-related illness, with the possible exception of body temperature.