Secondary Data Analysis of the 2012 Peru Demographic and Health Survey Examining Immunization Campaign Participation Among Children Aged 18 to 59 Months.

Objective. To evaluate the association between characteristics known to be associated with under-immunization and participation in immunization campaigns among Peruvian children. Methods. This is an analysis of data collected as part of the Peru 2012 Demographic and Health Survey. Analyses were conducted among children in 2 groups: children aged 18 to 29 months among whom core vaccine coverage is typically determined by the Peruvian authorities and children aged 30 to 59 months who may have received the core vaccines at older ages. The associations between relative wealth, location, maternal education, primary maternal language and the outcome, participation in an immunization campaign within the past 2 years were estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for survey design in each age group. Results. For children aged 18 to 29 months, campaign participation was higher if the mother had completed secondary school compared with those not having completed secondary school (27.4% vs 20.1% [prevalence odds ratio (POR) = 1.51 (1.08, 2.13)]). For children aged 30 to 59 months, campaign participation was higher if the mother had completed secondary school (40.4% vs 35.1% [POR = 1.23 (1.02, 1.49)], adjusted for residence) and if the child resided in Lima versus in other urban areas (46% vs 35.4% [POR = 1.52 (1.16, 2.01)], adjusted for maternal education). Relative wealth and mothers' primary language were not associated with campaign participation. Conclusions. This study suggests that children of mothers with higher education and those residing in Lima had higher prevalence odds of reporting that their children had participated in a vaccination campaign. This contrasts with the populations vaccination campaigns typically target (poor, rural, or indigenous) to improve vaccination coverage.

Missing the Mark? A Two Time Point Cohort Study Estimating Intestinal Parasite Prevalence in Informal Settlements in Lima, Peru.

Objectives: The World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations list Peru as potentially needing prevention of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH). Prevalence of STH varies regionally and remains understudied in the newest informal settlements of the capital city, Lima. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the need for Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of antiparasitic drugs in the newest informal settlements of Lima. The aim of this study was to estimate the season-specific prevalence of STH to determine if these prevalence estimates met the WHO threshold for MDA in 3 informal settlements. Methods: A 2 time point cohort study was conducted among a sample of 140 children aged 1 to 10 years living in 3 purposively sampled informal settlements of Lima, Peru. Children were asked to provide 2 stool samples that were analyzed with the spontaneous sedimentation in tube technique. The season-specific prevalence proportions of MDA-targeted STH were estimated using a hidden (latent) Markov modeling approach to adjust for repeated measurements over the 2 seasons and the imperfect validity of the screening tests. Results: The prevalence of MDA targeted STH was low at 2.2% (95% confidence interval = 0.3% to 6%) and 3.8% (95% confidence interval = 0.7% to 9.3%) among children sampled in the summer and winter months, respectively, when using the most conservative estimate of test sensitivity. These estimates were below the WHO threshold for MDA (20%). Conclusions: Empiric treatment for STH by organizations active in the newest informal settlements is not supported by the data and could contribute to unnecessary medication exposures and poor allocation of resources.