Missoula Healthy Kids Report 2010
IMMUNIZATIONS
Since widespread immunization in the United States, we have achieved dramatic success reducing the incidence of, and deaths caused by, most infectious childhood. However, our very success can cause some of us to forget about the risk and become lax in immunizing our children. Although Montana law now requires full vaccination before kindergarten, many younger children are left at risk for a variety of reasons: lack of health care coverage, poverty, religious belief, lack of education of parents. Immunization levels at age two reflect the status of the community’s commitment to provide accessible preventive health care to young children and families.
- Indicator
- How are we doing
- Additional data - social and physical problems associated with lack of immunizations
Indicator
These data may be misleading and incomplete because some children’s vaccination records are not entered into the state-wide immunization registry.
There are many different factors that influence vaccination rates including: different methods of gathering data; parent refusal of certain vaccines; physicians who are reluctant to allow the parent to alter the vaccine schedule and refer them to the Health Dept. instead.
Source: MT DPHHS
Source: National Immunization Survey
How are we doing
State law requires that all children entering kindergarten have received 4 DTaP; 3 polios; 1 MMR. Admission to Day Care Centers require age appropriate doses of DTaP; polio; Hib, Varicella and MMR. Hep B and PCV4 are recommended but not required by law.
We compare favorably to other larger Montana towns but have a ways to go toward meeting HP 2010 goals.
In 2009, of the 753 kindergarteners registered in Missoula Dist. 1 schools, only 2 were non-compliant for adequate immunizations, and 9 had no immunizations because of religious beliefs. However, "adequate immunization" rates for two-year-olds are more difficult to accurately assess.
Healthy People 2010 Target
Vaccination coverage levels for children at 35 months (percent of children)
| Baseline 1998 | Target 2010 | |
| 4 doses DTaP vaccine | 84 | 90 |
| 3 doses Hib vaccine | 93 | 90 |
| 3 doses hepatitis B vaccine | 87 | 90 |
| 1 dose MMR vaccine | 92 | 90 |
| 3 doses polio vaccine | 91 | 90 |
| 1 dose varicella vaccine | 43 | 90 |
The US Dept of
Health and Human Services sponsors the
Healthy People
objectives,
a science-based, 10-year national plan for improving the health of all
Americans.
For Additional Data and Information important for evaluating this topic, click here.
- Social and physical problems associated with lack of immunizations
- Barriers to receiving immunizations
