Vaccine Uptake in the Irish Travelling Community: An audit of general practice records
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Publication Date
2016Journal Title
Journal of Public Health
ISSN
1741-3842
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Language
English
Type
Article
This Version
AM
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Dixon, K., Mullis, R., & Blumenfeld, T. (2016). Vaccine Uptake in the Irish Travelling Community: An audit of general practice records. Journal of Public Health https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.4315
Abstract
${\bf Background}$ Compared to the general population, the Traveller community has substantial health inequalities. Vaccination coverage in Traveller children is estimated to be low and Travellers are at higher risk of vaccine-preventable diseases due to their social circumstances.
${\bf Methods}$ Audit of vaccination history of Traveller ($\textit{n=214}$) and non-Traveller ($\textit{n=776}$) children registered at a General Practice in England. The Green Book childhood immunisation schedule was used as a reference standard.
${\bf Results}$ There was significantly lower coverage for Traveller children compared to non-Traveller children for all vaccinations in the routine childhood immunisation schedule. The percentage of children completing the schedule at all time points was significantly lower in the Traveller community.
${\bf Conclusions}$ Traveller communities have significantly lower uptake of vaccinations and therefore Travellers’ children should be targeted by GPs for catch-up vaccination to improve outcomes for individuals and local herd immunity.
Identifiers
This record's DOI: https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.4315
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/260086
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