Publication
Title
Coverage of recommended vaccines in children at 78 years of age in Flanders, Belgium
Author
Abstract
Aim: Evaluation of the coverage of primary diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), poliomyelitis, hepatitis B (HBV) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine doses recommended before the age of 18 months in 7-year-old school children in Flanders, Belgium. Meningococcal serogroup C and DT-polio vaccines offered respectively as catch-up and booster vaccinations were also evaluated. Methods: Parents of 792 children born in Flanders in 1997 and selected by cluster sampling were interviewed at home in 2005. Vaccination data since infancy were collected retrospectively from vaccination documents and school health records. Results: Coverage rates were 88.0% for the first dose of MMR, and 72.0%, 84.2% and 91.4% for the recommended HBV, DTP and poliomyelitis primary vaccine doses, respectively. These rates included catch-up of missed infant MMR (4.9%) and HBV (6.4%) vaccinations. In addition, 88.3% of the target group received the DT-polio booster dose recommended at 6 years of age and 83.1% a meningococcal C vaccine dose. Preventive public health services as well as private physicians were involved to a varying extent. A lower socioeconomic status of the family was associated with a higher risk of nonvaccination. Conclusion: Vaccinators in Flanders reach children relatively well during infancy and at school age, but catch-up of missed infant vaccine doses, especially MMR, should be optimized.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Acta paediatrica. - Oslo, 1992, currens
Publication
Oslo : 2009
ISSN
0803-5253 [print]
1651-2227 [online]
DOI
10.1111/J.1651-2227.2009.01331.X
Volume/pages
98 :8 (2009) , p. 1307-1312
ISI
000267656800017
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 01.09.2009
Last edited 25.05.2022
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