Australia\u27s health 2002 : the eighth biennial report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Australia\u27s Health 2002 is the eighth biennial health report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. It is the nation\u27s authoritative source of information on patterns of health and illness, determinants of health, the supply and use of health services, and health service costs and performance. Australia\u27s Health 2002 is an essential reference and information resource for all Australians with an interest in health

Evaluation of immunisation coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children using the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register

Objective: To estimate immunisation coverage for routinely administered vaccines among children using receipt of a particular Hib vaccine (PRP-OMP) as a proxy for Indigenous status. Methods: Until May 2000, PRP-OMP was provided only for Indigenous children in all jurisdictions except the Northern Territory. In three one-year ACIR-derived birth cohorts, any child recorded on the ACIR as receiving one or more doses of PRP-OMP as the only Hib vaccine was presumed to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Using this proxy, estimated numbers of Indigenous children were compared with Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates, and immunisation status for recommended vaccines was estimated at 12 and 24 months by jurisdiction and remoteness compared with children who received other Hib vaccines (presumed non-Indigenous). Results: The numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children estimated using this 'proxy method' are approximately 42% of those estimated by the ABS. Immunisation coverage (among proxy Indigenous children) at 12 months (72–76%) and 24 months (64–73%) was considerably lower than others (90–94% and 81–88%, respectively). These children had significantly lower coverage when living in accessible areas than remote areas. Conclusions and Implications: These data provide the first national measure of immunisation status and are likely to be a valid measure among those identified. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander immunisation coverage is 17% lower with the biggest gaps in urban areas, indicating the need for better quality data informing appropriate interventions

Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Australia, 2001 to 2002

This, the third biennial report on vaccine preventable diseases and vaccine coverage in Australia, brings together the four most important national sources of routinely collected data about vaccine preventable diseases and vaccinations (deaths, notifications, hospitalisations and vaccination coverage) for all age groups between 2001 and 2002

Immunisation coverage in Australia corrected for under‐reporting to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register

Abstract Objective: To assess the level of underreporting to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) and the resulting underestimation of national immunisation coverage using ACIR data, and to correct national immunisation estimates for under‐reporting. Methods: A national population‐based telephone survey was conducted in May‐July 2001 of two random samples of children born in 1998 and 1999 who were recorded on the ACIR as incompletely immunised at either 12 months or 24 months of age. Parents were asked whether and when their child had received the vaccinations required to qualify as fully immunised. Survey data were then used to correct ACIR‐derived coverage estimates at 12 and 24 months of age. Results: Of 640 surveyed children in the 12‐month group, 258 (40%) met the study definition of ‘definitely immunised’. This adjusted the ACIR coverage estimate upwards by 2.7% to 94% (95% CI 93.6–94.1). Of 698 surveyed children in the 24‐month group, 387 (55%) met the study definition of ‘definitely immunised’ at the second birthday. Adjusted coverage for doses due by 24 months was 89.8% (95% CI 89.6–90.1), 5% higher than recorded on the ACIR. Conclusions: Immunisation coverage in Australia for all scheduled vaccines due by 12 months of age is 94% and for all vaccines due by two years of age is almost 90%. The ACIR underestimates coverage by up to 5%. As the ACIR database relies on provider notification, published estimates of immunisation coverage are unlikely to rise significantly above current levels, unless mechanisms are put in place to further improve notification to the ACIR

Measles vaccination coverage among five‐year‐old children: implications for disease elimination in Australia

Abstract Objectives:To (i) assess under‐reporting of measles‐mumps‐rubella (MMR) vaccinations to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR); (ii) estimate MMR coverage among five‐year‐old children and the proportion immune to measles infection; (iii) identify factors related to non‐uptake of MMR vaccination. Methods:We analysed ACIR data for a birth cohort of approximately 64,000 children aged five years. The parents of a sample of 506 children with no ACIR record for the second MMR vaccination (MMR2), due at four years of age, were interviewed by telephone to assess under‐reporting to the ACIR and reasons for non‐uptake of MMR vaccination. Results:Parents reported that 22% (n=111) of the surveyed 506 children had received MMR2 before their fifth birthday, and 42% (n=214) by ˜5.5 years of age. After correcting for this level of underreporting to the ACIR, MMR2 coverage for the entire cohort at five years of age was 52.9% (95% CI 52.3–53.4), and increased to 84.1% (95% CI 83.4–84.8) by ˜5.5 years of age. This was 4.3% and 8.2%, respectively, higher than ACIR coverage estimates at the two ages. Based on the corrected MMR coverage estimates, 93% of the cohort was immune to measles due to vaccination. The most common parent‐reported reason for incomplete vaccination was lack of knowledge about the MMR vaccination schedule. Conclusions:Measles elimination in Australia will require continued effort in vaccination coverage and timeliness among pre‐school children. School‐entry requirements are important for MMR2 uptake. Strategies are needed to improve reporting to the ACIR for more accurate measurement of coverage

Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Australia, 1999 to 2000

In June 2000 the first report of the morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) in Australia (1993 to 1998) using nationally collected data was published. The striking feature was the progressive decline in the incidence of all the childhood VPDs except pertussis. Even more striking was the more than 99 per cent decline in the number of deaths from these diseases since the prevaccination era, despite the Australian population increasing 2.8 fold and the close association this rate of decline has had with the introduction of specific vaccination programs. It is important, however, that the downward trend in morbidity and mortality from VPDs is maintained and carefully monitored, and that changes are interpreted in relation to vaccination coverage