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CDC Cites Progress on Childhood Immunization Goals
ATLANTA -- Most states met national vaccination objectives for children in kindergarten during the 2006-2007 school year, according to a study by the CDC.
ATLANTA, Aug. 17 -- Most states met national vaccination objectives for children in kindergarten during the 2006-2007 school year, according to a study by the CDC.
Data from 49 states and the District of Columbia showed that 83% of the reporting entities had achieved the goal of at least 95% coverage for hepatitis B vaccinations, according to a report published in the Aug. 17 issue of MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Between 70% and 80% had hit the goal for the four other types of vaccines-polio, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis [DTP] (or derivations), measles/mumps/rubella, and varicella, said CDC investigators Carol Stanwyck, Ph.D., and Nidhi Jain, M.D.
The study included data from all states but Nevada, which did not report vaccination coverage for the 2006-2007 school year.
"These results underscore the effectiveness of school-entry requirements in increasing vaccination coverage but highlight a need for more standardized vaccination reporting among studies," the investigators concluded.
The 95% threshold for vaccination coverage was set forth by the Healthy People 2010 federal initiative to encourage health promotion and disease prevention.
Assimilation of the data demonstrated at least 95% coverage for the following immunizations:
- Hepatitis B, 83% (35 of 42 states, plus the District of Columbia)
- DTP, 76% (38 of 50)
- Poliovirus, 80% (40 of 50)
- MMR, 70% (35 of 50)
- Varicella, 74% (32 of 43)
The data also showed that 92% to 95% of reporting states had at least 90% coverage for all five immunizations.
Drs. Stanwyck and Jain pointed out variations in approaches to gathering and reporting vaccination data. All 49 states and the District of Columbia assessed vaccination rates in public schools. However, 44 states also gathered data from private schools, and six assessed vaccination rates in home-schooled children.
The authors found that 35 states based their reports on 95% or more of children enrolled in kindergarten; seven states based their reports on a randomized sample of schools and students; and the remaining states attempted to gather data on all enrolled kindergarteners, but got information on fewer than 95% of students.
In 29 states, health departments relied on data reported directly from schools; seven states' health departments performed separate reviews of the data; and the remaining 14 states used other methods to develop their reports.
An editorial note stated that the CDC is working with states to improve and standardize methods for reporting immunization data. The CDC initiated a standardized online reporting system for the2002-2003 school year.
The agency has reviewed states' survey methods and has developed preliminary recommendations for standardizing data collection and reporting. The recommendations will be revised as needed after the CDC receives feedback from state officials.
Additional information about assessing and reporting vaccination coverage is available online at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/stats-surv/schoolsurv/default.htm.
