title: Increase of vaccination coverage by mass media and individual approach: intensified measles, mumps, and rubella prevention program in Finland.
abstract: In the 1970s, mass vaccination projects were started in various parts of the world against measles and congenital rubella, with eradication as the final goal. In many developing and industrial countries, including Finland, the elimination of measles failed because of low vaccination coverage. In Finland, a combined measles, mumps, and rubella (Virivac) vaccination program was started in 1982. Computerized recording of the vaccinated children was considered necessary and was integrated with the population registry to identify the hard-to-reach families. Several interventions improved compliance: a mass media campaign and notification of nonvaccinated children to local health professionals and parents. All successive campaigns increased vaccination coverage significantly, with the notification of parents about their nonvaccinated child being especially effective. A vaccination coverage of over 96% was achieved, which theoretically prevents measles, mumps, and rubella transmission.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paunio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cantell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paunio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Karanko
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Heinonen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D008457:Measles / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D009107:Mumps / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009108:Mumps Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012409:Rubella / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D009108:Mumps Vaccine; D012411:Rubella Vaccine