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Childhood vaccination rates remain high, CDC report says
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 27, 2010
Immunization rates for some childhood vaccines were near or above the national health objective of 90% in 2009, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
The report, published in the CDC's Sept. 17 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, examined data on 17,313 children, 19 to 35 months, who participated in the 2009 National Immunization Survey.
Researchers found that 92.8% of children were vaccinated against poliovirus, 92.4% against hepatitis B and 90% against measles, mumps and rubella. Rates increased among recently recommended vaccines, including the full series of hepatitis A. Fewer than 1% of children had not received any immunizations (link).
The CDC said outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles in 2008, indicate there still are communities with high numbers of undervaccinated or unvaccinated children. The agency recommends that physicians continue to educate parents about the safety and importance of immunizations.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/09/27/prbf0927.htm.
