CDC National Immunization Survey Results Released

On Friday, the latest issue of MMWR included the 2006 data from the National Immunization Survey, the most reliable source for information on vaccination rates nationwide. MMWR (pdf) includes two reports. One looks at children age 19-35 months (the traditional study population of NIS since its inception in 1994). The other surveys teenagers age 13-17 years (a new 'spin-off' study appropriately dubbed NIS-Teen).

In the infant/toddler population, the news appears to be quite good. Based on a sample of over 21,000 children, 77% had received the full recommended series of vaccinations in 2006, a slight (though statistically insignificant) increase over 2005's figure of 76.1%. This year's data moves closer to the Healthy People 2010 goal of 80% coverage for the recommended series.

That said, there is a great variation in vaccination rates among states and clear differences among races and socioeconomic status. 73.9% of African-American children have received the complete series of recommended vaccinations, compared to 77.9% of white children and 77.4% of Hispanic children.

An accompanying CDC press release somewhat awkwardly explains the disparity this way:

"Children who live below the poverty level are less likely to be vaccinated than children who live at or above the poverty level. Because a substantial percentage of black children lived below the poverty level, coverage for black children overall was low compared with white children. Therefore, even though the 2006 survey found that black, non-Hispanic children had lower vaccination rates than white, non-Hispanic children for the series of routine vaccines, at [sic] the difference was likely related to socioeconomic status and household income rather than race."

As for teenagers, the NIS-Teen data was not as encouraging, as none of the recommended vaccines for this age group had coverage levels meeting the Healthy People 2010 goals. The accompanying editorial note and CDC press release point to the relative newness of several of the new recommendations for teenagers. Both look to the data as evidence for continued education of parents and health care providers about the benefits of these vaccines.