Introduction and Hypothesis A pilot study exploring the utility and feasibility of use of a vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) patient educational brochure. Methods Women awaiting or recently having undergone VVF surgery examined a 6-paneled educational brochure detailing the causes, treatment options and prevention methods of VVF. Participants answered demographic questions and gave detailed responses to a questionnaire that addressed the brochure material. Results Convenience sample of fifty patients with a mean age of 26.1 years participated. Universally, these women felt that the information they learned from the brochure was useful. Suggestions by participants regarding prevention of VVF included laboring in a hospital (80%), educating other women (30%), and discouraging early marriage (8%). Primary barriers to prevention and treatment included financial restraints (84%), and transportation difficulties (30%). Conclusion The utilization of a simple, low-cost educational brochure has the ability to educate women on the causes, treatment and prevention of VVF.

The perspectives of parents of private middle school students regarding the use of school-located immunization programs (SLIPs) are unknown. Parents of private middle school students in a large, urban setting were surveyed (N = 1,210) regarding their willingness to use SLIPs. Analyses included frequencies and chi-square analyses. Data from prior work with public school parents were included for comparison. Of the 1,210 questionnaires, 219 were returned; only 19% of respondents reported they were willing to use a SLIP, compared to 41% of public middle school parents. However, 54% of private school parents were willing to consider using SLIPs for influenza vaccine, and 6% would use SLIPs for human papillomavirus vaccine. Hispanic (Mexican) ethnicity (p = .014) was associated with greater willingness to utilize SLIPs. Private middle school parents, in this sample, are relatively unwilling to utilize SLIPs compared to public school parents. These data should be considered when implementing SLIPs in the future.

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