National, state, and local area vaccination coverage among children aged 19-35 months - United States, 2008

The National Immunization Survey (NIS) estimates vaccination coverage among children aged 19-35 months for 50 states and selected local areas. Healthy People 2010 established vaccination coverage targets of 90% for individual vaccines in the 4:3:1:3:3:1 vaccine series and 80% for the series. This report describes the 2008 NIS coverage estimates for this series and individual vaccines, 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), >or=2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine (HepA), and hepatitis B vaccination received in the first 3 days of life (HepB birth dose) among children born during January 2005-June 2007. In 2008, 4:3:1:3:3:1 series coverage was 76.1%, compared with 77.4% in 2007; >or=90% coverage was maintained for all recommended series vaccines, except >or=4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine. Coverage with >or=3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (Hib) decreased from 2007, likely because of the shortage of Hib vaccine and the recommendation to defer the routine Hib vaccine booster dose administered at age 12-15 months. Substantial variability was observed in individual and series vaccination coverage among states/local areas. Among racial/ethnic groups, coverage varied little and, after adjusting for poverty, coverage estimates were not significantly lower for any groups compared with whites. However, children living below poverty had lower coverage than children living at or above poverty for most vaccines. Sustaining high coverage levels and using effective methods of reducing disparities across states/local areas and income groups remains a priority to fully protect children and limit the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases.