title: Significant vaccination delay can occur even in a community with very high vaccination coverage: evidence from Ballabgarh, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current study was undertaken to estimate the delay in vaccination for National Immunization Schedule vaccines in under-five children and explore causes for this delay.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance Site in Northern India. It is a secondary data set-based study of children born between 1991 and 2004. Causes for delay in vaccination were explored by informal discussions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total of 25 517 children were included in the analysis. Vaccination coverage at 1 year of age was high for all National immunization schedule vaccines (78.7% for measles to 97.4% for OPV-1). Children for delayed vaccination ranged from 15.9% (95% CI 15.4-16.3) for OPV booster to 83.5% (95% CI 83.1-83.9) for OPV-3. Non-availability of children was identified as important determinants of the delay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that focus on 'quantity' in vaccination (high vaccination coverage) needs to be supplemented with quality of vaccination (in-time vaccination).
authors: Indian Coalition for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, New Delhi, India.
authors: Kapil
authors: K
authors: Yadav
authors: Rahul
authors: R
authors: Srivastava
authors: Rakesh
authors: R
authors: Kumar
authors: Palanivel
authors: P
authors: Chinnakal
authors: Sanjay K
authors: SK
authors: Rai
authors: Anand
authors: A
authors: Krishnan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*