Vaccine preventable diseases in eastern Maharashtra--a hospital based analysis

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hospital admissions for vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) require baseline data for evaluating vaccination programs.
• Understanding disease trends and demographics is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish baseline hospital admission data for six VPDs between 1982 and 1986.
• To analyze demographic patterns and disease trends for future vaccination program evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of hospital admission records.
• Data collected for six specific vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Study period: 1982-1986.

Main Results:

• Children aged 1-4 years were most frequently admitted for most diseases, except whooping cough.
• Tuberculosis admissions remained constant; measles exhibited cyclical trends.
• A male-to-female admission ratio of 1.8:1.0 was observed.
• Mortality in meningeal tuberculosis was not affected by immunization status.
• Diphtheria and whooping cough admissions were low, suggesting a potential decline.

Conclusions:

• The study provides essential baseline data for assessing the impact of vaccination programs.
• Observed trends in measles, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and whooping cough warrant further investigation.
• Demographic patterns highlight specific age groups at higher risk for certain VPDs.