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Vaccination coverage in hard to reach Roma children in Slovenia

Alenka Kraigher1, Maruka Vidovic, Tanja Kustec

  • 1Communicable Diseases Center, Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia. alenka.kraigher@ivz-rs.si

Collegium Antropologicum
|January 25, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Preschool Roma children in Slovenia have higher vaccination coverage than school-aged Roma children, though both groups lag behind national averages. Rubella and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine rates require significant improvement in Roma communities.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Vaccination coverage is crucial for preventing infectious diseases in children.
  • Roma populations often face unique challenges in accessing healthcare, potentially impacting immunization rates.
  • Understanding generational differences in vaccination coverage within the Roma community is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare vaccination coverage for specific antigens between preschool-aged and school-aged Roma children in Slovenia.
  • To identify disparities in immunization rates for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines.
  • To assess the differences between Roma children's vaccination coverage and the national averages.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of vaccination data from health records and the National Computerized Immunization System (CEPI 2000).
  • Inclusion of 436 preschool and 551 school-aged Roma children across three Slovenian regions.
  • Application of the log-rank statistical test (Mantel-Haenszel test) to compare vaccination coverage between the two age groups.

Main Results:

  • Preschool-aged Roma children demonstrated higher vaccination coverage compared to their school-aged counterparts.
  • No significant difference was found in full vaccination rates for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis between the two generations.
  • Rubella vaccination coverage was significantly lower in the school-aged Roma generation, with only 33% receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine.

Conclusions:

  • Targeted strategies are needed to improve vaccination coverage, particularly for rubella and MMR, in school-aged Roma children.
  • Overall vaccination rates for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and MMR in preschool Roma children were lower than the Slovenian national average.
  • Collaborative efforts are essential to enhance immunization uptake within Slovenian Roma communities.

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