Hepatitis a vaccination coverage among children aged 24-35 months--United States, 2003

Hepatitis A vaccine was first licensed in the United States in 1995. In 1996, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended vaccination of children aged >/=24 months in populations with the highest incidence of hepatitis A (e.g., American Indian/Alaska Native [AI/AN], Asian/Pacific Islander, and selected Hispanic and religious communities). In 1999, these guidelines were expanded to recommend routine vaccination for children residing in 11 states where average annual hepatitis A incidence during 1987-1997 was at least 20 per 100,000 population (twice the national average) and to consider routine vaccination for children in six states where average annual incidence was 10-20 per 100,000 population. This report is the first national analysis of hepatitis A vaccination coverage among children. The results indicate that, in 2003, vaccination coverage levels with at least 1 dose of hepatitis A vaccine for children aged 24-35 months varied from 6.4% to 72.7% in areas where routine vaccination is recommended. In addition, hepatitis A vaccination coverage rates for children aged 24-35 months are lower than overall rates for other vaccines recommended for children. Sustaining and improving vaccination coverage among young children is needed to ensure continued declines in hepatitis A incidence in the United States.