Racial and ethnic disparities in childhood immunization coverage in North Carolina.
OBJECTIVE
In 2000 the North Carolina Immunization Branch established the Disparities Core Team to address the issue of disparities in immunization coverage in the state. Since no existing research identified disparities in childhood immunization, the Disparities Core Team undertook a kindergarten survey to determine the existence of disparities. Childhood immunization coverage levels were measured retrospectively by race and ethnicity in North Carolina. Completion of the 4-3-1 series (4 DTaP, 3 Polio and 1 MMR) by 24 months was considered up-to-date.


METHODS
Immunization, demographic, and healthcare information was collected from school records in the fall of 2001 for a sample of kindergarten students.


RESULTS
Disparities were found on both state and regional levels. Disparities within regions varied.


CONCLUSIONS
White children were more likely to be up-to-date by 24 months of age than African American children (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.26-2.03), Latino children (OR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.61-3.11), and Asian children (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.03-3.4). Discovery of the cause of racial and ethnic disparities requires further study. Implications for interventions to eliminate disparities are discussed.
Flynn-Saldana
Kelly J
KJ
Division of Public Health, Women and Children's Health Section, Immunization Branch, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Kirsch
Amy
A
Lister
Mary Elizabeth
ME
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data