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Ethnic differences in selective neonatal BCG immunisation: white British children miss out

R Srinivasan1, L Menon, P Stevens

  • 1Department of Child Health, Llandough Hospital, Cardiff CF64 2XX, UK. ramsriniv@doctors.org.uk

Thorax
|December 31, 2005
PubMed

Insights

BCG vaccination rates for at-risk infants in Cardiff were 76% overall. White British infants had significantly lower BCG uptake compared to Asian and Black African infants, highlighting a need for improved awareness.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Immunization Practices

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) is a growing concern in Western Europe.
  • Neonatal BCG vaccination is recommended for high-risk infants in the UK.
  • BCG vaccination offers 75% protection against TB.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate BCG vaccination rates among at-risk infants in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
  • To identify disparities in BCG uptake across different ethnic groups.

Main Methods:

  • Identified a cohort of TB-risk infants using a maternity activity database.
  • Manually reviewed immunization records to determine BCG vaccination rates.
  • Analyzed vaccination rates by ethnic group.

Main Results:

  • Out of 5308 infants, 514 (9.6%) were identified as at risk for TB.
  • Overall, 391 (76%) at-risk infants received BCG vaccination.
  • BCG vaccination rates were 36.5% for white British infants versus 83.6% for Asian and 82% for Black African infants.

Conclusions:

  • The overall BCG vaccination rate among at-risk infants in Cardiff was 76%.
  • White British infants showed a notably lower BCG vaccination rate compared to other ethnic groups.
  • Increased health professional awareness is crucial for improving BCG coverage in diverse populations.
Abstract

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