1. Immunisation coverage among a birth cohort of Aboriginal infants in an urban community.
- Author
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Harris, Mark F, Webster, Vana, Jalaludin, Bin, Jackson Pulver, Lisa R, and Comino, Elizabeth Jean
- Subjects
IMMUNIZATION ,IMMUNOTHERAPY ,VACCINATION of infants ,URBAN community development ,PARITY (Social sciences) - Abstract
Aim The aim of this study is to examine the age-appropriate immunisation coverage and the factors associated with this in a cohort of Aboriginal infants in an outer urban Sydney community in comparison with non- Aboriginal infants in this community. Methods Data on immunisation coverage were extracted from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register for a birth cohort of 178 Aboriginal and 356 non- Aboriginal infants born in Campbelltown between October 2005 and May 2007. Non- Aboriginal infants were matched on birthdates and gender. Data on maternal socio-economic and other characteristics were collected by questionnaire. Results Australian Childhood Immunisation Register records were identified for 92% of infants. Immunisation rates of Aboriginal infants were comparable with those of non- Aboriginal infants except for delay at 4 and 6 months. Rates of delay in immunisation at 12 and 18 months for both Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal infants were similar. Young maternal age and higher parity were both associated with a greater likelihood of delay. Conclusions Immunisation rates in this population of Aboriginal infants are comparable to those of non- Aboriginal infants except for delay in immunisation at 4 and 6 months. Identified risk factors for both Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal infants may be amenable to intervention. Strategies to ensure timely compliance with immunisation schedules in this outer urban community have achieved reasonable immunisation coverage for Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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