The implementation of state and local requirements for vaccination before
entry to Head Start programs, licensed child care facilities, and school
has resulted in high vaccination levels among preschool and school
children.
[1, 2] One of the national health objectives for 2010
is to maintain >/=95% vaccination coverage among children attending
licensed child care centers and kindergarten through postsecondary school
(objective 12-23).
[3] National estimates of vaccination
coverage among children in Head Start programs, licensed child care
facilities, and those entering school have been published each year since
1997 on the basis of reports from federally funded immunization programs
(IPs) in the 50 states, five cities, eight territories, and the District
of Columbia.
[4] This report summarizes data reported by states,
cities, and the District of Columbia for the 2000-01 school year. Although
vaccination coverage for 2000-01 appears similar to that for previous
years,
[4] the number of programs reporting and the completeness
of the reports are lower than in previous years and do not permit precise
estimation of coverage at the national level. IPs use school data to
identify undervaccinated children enrolled in Head Start programs,
licensed child care facilities, and those entering school; evaluate the
success of prevention programs targeting these children; and document the
proportion of children whose parents claim exemptions from one or more
vaccines. Plans are ongoing to assist IPs in applying successful
strategies for collecting, reporting, and increasing the precision of
coverage estimates for these populations.
Methods of assessing
vaccination coverage differ among the 56 IPs, in part because state and
local laws determine which vaccines and doses are required and because
sampling and data abstraction methods vary. IPs used a standard one-page
form to report the proportion (2.9 to 100% for Head Start and child care,
0.9 to 100% for kindergarten and first grade) of eligible children
included in the assessment and coverage for each required vaccine.
Head Start Programs
Of the 56 IPs, 23 states, New York City, and Chicago (44.6%) reported
vaccination coverage for children enrolled in Head Start programs (Table 1). All 25 programs reported coverage for >/=3
doses of poliovirus vaccine; 17 (30.4%) reported coverage for 3 doses of
hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine; 16 (28.6%) reported coverage for 4 doses of
diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, 1 dose of
measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and 1 dose of Haemophilus
influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine; and nine (16.1%) reported coverage
for 3 doses of DTaP and for >/=3 doses of Hib. Of all 108 estimates of
vaccination coverage reported for the Head Start group, 86 (79.6%) were
>/=95%.
Licensed Child Care Facilities
Of the 56 IPs, 23 states, New York City, and Chicago (44.6%) submitted
vaccination coverage levels for children enrolled in licensed child care (Table 2). All 25 programs reported coverage for >/=3
doses of poliovirus vaccine; 19 (33.9%) reported for 3 doses of HepB, 18
(32.1%) for 1 dose of MMR, 15 (26.8%) for 4 doses of DTaP, 14 (25.0%) for
1 dose of Hib, 10 (17.9%) for >/=3 doses of Hib, and nine (16.1%) for 3
doses of DTaP. Of all estimates of vaccination coverage for the child care
age group (n = 110), 60 (54.5%) were >/=95%.
Kindergarten/First Grade
Of the 56 IPs, 36 states and New York City (66.1%) submitted
vaccination coverage levels for children enrolled in kindergarten and/or
first grade (Table 3). The number of programs reporting coverage
varied by vaccine. All 37 programs reported coverage for >/=3 doses of
poliovirus vaccine, 27 (48.2%) programs reported for 4 doses of DTaP and
for 3 doses of HepB, 22 (39.3%) programs for 2 doses of MMR, 10 (17.9%)
programs for 3 doses of DTaP, and six (10.7%) programs for 1 dose of MMR.
Of all estimates of vaccination coverage reported for the
kindergarten/first grade age group (n = 129), 99 (76.7%) were >/=95%.
Reported by:L Barker, Data Management Div; M McCauley, Office
of the Director, National Immunization Program; TL Fairley, PhD, EIS
Officer, CDC.