Immunisation of refugee and migrant young people: can schools do the job?
OBJECTIVE
To assess immunisation needs, primary health care (PHC) use and trial a school-based immunisation service for refugee and migrant young people attending an Intensive English Centre (IEC) high school in Western Sydney.


METHODS
We surveyed students attending an IEC in Western Sydney, assessing self-reported immunisation status and use of PHC services via questionnaires translated in six languages. Those students who were not immunised for hepatitis B and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) were provided the first and second dose of a three-dose hepatitis B immunisation schedule and a single dose of MMR vaccine. We compared the immunisation requirements for MMR and hepatitis B with utilisation of PHC.


RESULTS
One-hundred and sixty-five students (85%) returned the questionnaire. Forty-nine students (30%) reported previous immunisation with MMR and 29 (18%) with hepatitis B. As part of the school immunisation program, 142 (74%) received MMR vaccine, 151 (78%) received the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine, 144 (95%) received the second dose of hepatitis B, and 34 (23%) received the third hepatitis B dose elsewhere. Sixty-six students (40%) reported seeing a doctor in the past year. Students who had not seen a doctor in the previous year were significantly more likely to request immunisation (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Refugee and migrant young people attending an IEC in Western Sydney report low immunisation rates. Our study highlights the urgent need for education and health to work together to provide specialised immunisation services for refugee and migrant young people.
Milne
Bronwyn
B
Department of Adolescent Medicine, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, New South Wales 2145. bronwym2@chw.edu.au
Raman
Shanti
S
Thomas
Paul
P
Shah
Smita
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine