ABSTRACT
The aim of this retrospective long-term investigation was to compare the recommended routine vaccinations for school starters in the region of Dingolfing-Landau, recording the results separately by birth years and comparing these with one another. It was to show to what extent changes in the quantitative measures in the vaccination behaviour were recorded over a period of one decade, respectively to what extent the current recommendations of any one time of the STIKO (Permanent Vaccination Commission of the Robert Koch-Institute) were reflected within each age group. For this purpose during the annual standardised examinations of school starters the rates of vaccinations were recorded according to the various birth years and sex, determined and anonomously evaluated. It was found that of the total eleven examined birth years the vaccinations in series of BCG was reduced continually from a commencing 50 % plus to under 10 %. Regarding vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and polio the frequency for the total examined period commenced at a rate of under 90 %, increasing to over 90 % for the birth years of 1989 and beyond. No child of the birth year of 1984 was completely vaccinated against HiB, whereas the rate of vaccinations rose relatively quickly so that by the birth year 1994 over 90 % of the school starters were completely immunised against this infectious disease. As far as the pertussis and MMR vaccinations were concerned the rate at the beginning of the observation period was between 40 % and 60 %, increasing continually in the following period to over 80 %. By the middle 'eighties hardly any school starters had been vaccinated against hepatitis B, whereas, in the last five examined birth years the rate increased relatively quickly to 64 % maximum. At the beginning of the observed period nearly every fifth school starter had, age related, complete vaccination protection, in respect of the then valid STIKO recommendations. At the end of this decade this applied only to every twelfth child. Due to the high rates of participation of school starters examinations carried out by the Public Child and Youth Health Service it is possible to determine the vaccination rates of children as it relates to the routine vaccinations carried out over a longer period and on a topical basis. As a result the vaccination behaviour, respectively the willingness of a relevant target group during that period can be shown quantitatively. As the investigations of the RKI (Robert Koch-Institute) have shown, the share of the strict opponents of vaccinations is merely between 1.5 % and 5 % resulting in the necessity for intensive educational work and the development of effective vaccination strategies which are needed in order to stabilise the rates of vaccinations, respectively to meet epidemiological requirements at a high level and to further improve the present rate.
Subject(s)
Immunization Programs/trends , School Health Services/trends , Vaccination/trends , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Germany , Humans , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
The aim of these sectional studies was to find out current mass immunisation rates of school beginners. The study was carried out in the administrative district of Dingolfing-Landau in 1999, also to examine to what extent the recommendations to the STIKO (Established Immunisation Committee at the Robert Koch-Institute) for the corresponding age-group had been complied with. To this end, the vaccination documents submitted at the medical examination were inspected, the given data recorded in a standardised way and subsequently rendered anonymous. According to the available results the mass immunisation rates for diptheria, tetanus and polio met the infection epidemiology requirements by over 90%. The HiB, MMR and whooping cough vaccinations were in on the average 80% for mass immunisation, which no longer meets the epidemiological requirements. BCG inoculation was only given to every tenth child in the relevant age group. A positive aspect was the comparatively high immunisation rate of almost 50% on hepatitis B immunisation. Only one child in twenty in the relevant age group had the full immunisation protection recommended by STIKO. Due to the great acceptance and willingness to co-operate on the part of the parents/legal guardians the review of the immunisation status through the Childrens and Young People's Public Health Authority (KJGD) made it possible to establish the current mass immunisation rate for children of one birth year. In this way, it will be possible by means of relevant immunisation recommendations and immunisation strategies to close the immunisation gaps and raise the mass immunisation rates.
Subject(s)
Communicable Disease Control/statistics & numerical data , Immunization Programs/statistics & numerical data , School Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Vaccination/statistics & numerical data , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Germany , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
It was the purpose of this investigation to get a survey of the vaccination rate of eleven-to-twelve-year old pupils in a rural district of Bavaria. We could get the facts by checking the international certificates of vaccination during the medical examination of children in the fifth class of primary schools. The results show that the vaccination rate against polio and tetanus was sufficient, incomplete against diphtheria and insufficient against German measles, mumps and measles. Due to the good cooperation with the primary schools we could get the facts by studying thoroughly 75% of the pupil's certificates of vaccination. A regional survey is a good and inexpensive way of obtaining information on the vaccination rate and it is the last opportunity to achieve a systematic survey of the vaccination rate of children of a certain age. The sero-conversion rate cannot be judged by such a regional survey of the vaccination rate.
