Is low immunisation coverage in inner urban areas of Australia due to low uptake or poor notification?
BACKGROUND
The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) consistently reveals pockets of lower immunisation coverage in inner urban areas. We investigated whether low uptake or poor notification of immunisation is the main reason for this difference.


METHODS
We estimated under reporting by telephone surveying the parents of 640 children recorded as incompletely immunised on the ACIR at 12 months of age. Immunisation status was based on parental report of written records and/or date of receipt.


RESULTS
Of the 97 children living in inner urban areas (defined by postcode and population density), 55 (57%) were shown to be 'definitely immunised'. One hundred and thirty-four (53%) of the 253 children in other urban areas were shown to be 'definitely immunised'. Both these groups were significantly more likely to be 'definitely immunised' than the 104 (36%) of 290 children in areas outside capital cities (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Apparent lower immunisation uptake in inner urban areas of Australia may be attributable to reporting error.
Hull
Brynley P
BP
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, New South Wales. brynleyh@chw.edu.au
Lawrence
Glenda L
GL
MacIntyre
C Raina
CR
McIntyre
Peter B
PB
D001315:Australia; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*