THE IMPACT OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES ON IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE OF CHILDREN

The dependence of immunization coverage of children in the municipalit ies of Vienna and Klagenfurt on the sociodemographic variables of thei r parents is investigated. According to the Austrian vaccination progr am, the following vaccinations are recommended: diphtheria/tetanus (DT ), measles/mumps (MM), poliomyelitis (oPV), tickborne encephalitis (TE E), tuberculosis (BCG) and whooping cough (P). The aim of the study is to identify risk groups, as are children that are not well covered. A cross-sectional study using vaccination certificates of second grade schoolchildren in Vienna and Klagenfurt was performed. A multivariate logistic regression model is used. In Vienna a representative sample o f second grade schoolchildren (n = 585) was investigated, in Klagenfur t all second grade schoolchildren (n = 824). The investigation took pl ace during the 1993/1994 schoolyear. In Vienna 34.8% of the children h ave all the vaccinations recommended, in Klagenfurt 59.6%. Children of Austrian mothers have the best immunization coverage, followed by chi ldren whose mothers are from 'other countries', 'not stated', and 'for mer Yugoslavia'. The immunization rate increases with the mother's inc reasing age. It is lower if the father is unemployed. The effects of t he variables age and unemployment are not dependent on nationality. Ch ildren from Klagenfurt are more often completely immunized than childr en from Vienna. The mother's education does not have a significant inf luence. The Austrian immunization program is not sufficient to provide a high level of herd immunity, The immunization program recommends va ccinations but does not include a system for finding and recording ris kgroups (non-immunized). To improve the situation eight steps needed f or a setup of surveillance and containment system are recommended.