IMMUNIZATION UPTAKE AMONG 2-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN IN GENEVA

Objective: To measure the immunization uptake among 2 year-old children living in Geneva. Methods: Review of the vaccination cards, systematically checked because of the compulsory vaccination against diphteria, during the year in 1991. Results: 3937 immunization cards were reviewed, ie. 93.6% of the children in the given age group. Immunization uptake rates were, for diphteria and tetanos (3 doses) 96.8%; pertussis (3 doses) 96.1%; poliomyelitis (3 doses) 96.6%. For measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) (1 dose), 78.4%. For the Haemophilus influenzae b vaccine, recently introduced: 68.5%. The uptake rate for MMR was lower among children of swiss origine (75.5%) than among children of other nationalities (84.6%, p < 0.0001). The highest rates were found among children coming from southern Europe and Latine America. Conclusions: From the point of view of the community risk, immunization uptake rates for diphteria, tetanos, pertussis and poliomyelitis can be considered satisfactory. For MMR vaccine, the rate was higher than 2 years earlier, but still insufficient, compared to the level which could block the transmission of the target diseases in the population. The persistence of such a low rate of immunization uptake will not prevent the occurence of epidemics in the population.