title: Immunization Status of Young People Attending a Youth Clinic in Geneva, Switzerland.
abstract: Adolescent vaccination coverage is very variable in European countries and data are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess immunization status and analyze potential variations according to sociodemographic variables in a youth clinic in Geneva, Switzerland. Immunization status was assessed retrospectively: Tetanus (number of doses or in absence of data tetanus antibodies) and measles as indicators of childhood coverage as well as hepatitis B and human papillomavirus. All new patients (N = 390) of Geneva University Hospital's youth clinic were included between January 2010 and June 2011. Vaccine coverage was low for all vaccines regardless of sex or origin. 89% of young people tested (mostly recent immigrants with no available data) had tetanus antibodies indicating adequate childhood immunization but hepatitis B and HPV coverage was low especially in recent immigrants. Systematic assessment allows better adolescent vaccine coverage and can improve safety by avoiding unnecessary dosis.
authors.affiliation: Unité Santé Jeunes, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals, 87 Bvd de la Cluse, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland. anne.meynard@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meynard
authors.affiliation: , Nyon, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lydia Markham
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Genequand
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emilien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jeannot
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Instruction, Geneva School Health Service, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claire-Anne
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wyler-Lazarevic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cerutti
authors.affiliation: Unité Santé Jeunes, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals, 87 Bvd de la Cluse, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Narring
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent preventive health care; Hepatitis B; Human papillomavirus; Immigrants; Tetanus antibodies; Underserved youth