Assessment of vaccination coverage among adults 30-49 years of age following a mass diphtheria vaccination campaign: Ukraine, April 1995

Ukraine has been experiencing epidemic diphtheria since 1991. In efforts to control this epidemic, a mass vaccination campaign was held in April 1995. Persons not vaccinated in the previous 3 years were considered eligible fo r vaccination with tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td). Two cluster sample surv eys were conducted to determine vaccination coverage achieved. In the urban and rural survey areas, respectively, 628 and 618 persons 30-49 years of a ge were interviewed. Fifty-nine percent of urban and 58% of rural participa nts were eligible far vaccination. During the vaccination campaign, 58% (95 % confidence interval [95% CI], 47.1-69.2) of eligible persons received Td in the urban area, compared with 92% (95% CI, 89.2-95.3) in the rural area. Apparent barriers to vaccination included misconceptions about the safety, efficacy, and need for booster doses of Td. Future vaccination campaigns s hould include targeted information and education messages. Mass vaccination campaigns can be successful in vaccinating large numbers of adults; howeve r, in urban areas, additional efforts may be required to achieve levels of coverage adequate to confer herd immunity and interrupt the diphtheria epid emic.