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A population‐based survey of immunisation coverage in children aged 2 years and younger in New South Wales
Author(s) -
SULLIVAN EA,
CHEY T,
NOSSAR V
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1754.1998.00235.x
Subject(s) - medicine , immunization , population , odds ratio , pediatrics , confidence interval , demography , environmental health , immunology , antigen , sociology
Objective: To provide a population‐based baseline of immunisation rates in children aged 2 years and younger in New South Wales (NSW) in 1992, permitting more accurate evaluation of the efficacy of current programmes. Methods: A cross‐sectional population‐based survey of 622 households from areas resident to over 73% of all children aged 4 years and younger in NSW. Results: Of the 322 households with children aged 3–24 months, 212 (66%; confidence interval (CI): 57–75%) were up‐to‐date with the recommended immunisation schedule, 68 (21%; CI: 15–27%) had not commenced any immunisation, and 42 (13%; CI: 9–17%) were partially immunised. Ability to read English (odds ratio (OR): 5.43; CI: 2.37–12.44) and receipt of hepatitis B immunisation (OR: 2.54; CI: 1.27–5.07%) were highly associated with up‐to‐date immunisation; whilst a history of any illnesses, frequent doctor visits in the past 12 months (OR: 0.47; CI: 0.27–0.85%) and older age (16–24 months) (OR: 0.26; CI: 0.12–0.50%) were less likely to be associated with up‐to‐date immunisation. Conclusions: In 1992 NSW had low levels of up‐to‐date immunisation. Significantly, one‐fifth of NSW families with children aged 3–24 months did not have a record of any immunisations. This could not be explained by delay in commencing immunisation. Poor competency in reading English was strongly associated with failure to immunise, suggesting that there had been inadequate targeting of immunisation campaigns in non‐English‐speaking communities.