Do changes in policy affect vaccine coverage levels? Results of a national study to evaluate childhood vaccination coverage and reasons for missed vaccination in Italy.
To evaluate the impact of actions taken in Italy since 1998 to improve vaccination coverage, a national EPI-survey was performed in 2003. Overall, 4602 children aged 12-24 months participated in the study; coverage was calculated for three doses of DT, polio, HBV, pertussis, and Hib, and for one dose of MMR/measles vaccine for children > or =16 months of age. Since 1998, when the last national survey was conducted, DT, polio, and HBV coverage have remained consistently high (95%), while pertussis, Hib, and MMR/measles significantly increased. Pertussis coverage reached the 95% target, and Hib is close to target (87%). Improving MMR coverage (77%), however, remains a national priority.
Centro Nazionale di Epidemiologia, Sorveglianza e Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy.
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Ciofi Degli Atti
Maria Cristina
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Rota
Antonino
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Bella
Stefania
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Salmaso
D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004493:Education; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011640:Public Policy