Immunization status of children in foster homes: the first Italian data
Pietro Ferrara1, Giovanna C Fabrizio, Lorenza Romani
1Institute of Pediatrics Sacro Cuore Catholic University, Rome, Italy - pferrara@rm.unicatt.it.
Background:
The aim of this paper was to evaluate vaccination coverage among children living in forest homes.
Methods:
Data come from pediatric evaluation of a sample of children in group-homes in Rome, between September 2011 and April 2012, and compared vs. general population group.
Results:
As for About children in foster homes it was found that 91/112 children (81.2%) had the vaccine coverage for all vaccines that compose the hexavalent (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine; 88/112 (78.6%) have been vaccinated for measles-mumps-rubella; 10/112 (8.9%) were vaccinated with meningococcal vaccine; 15/112 (13.4%) have been vaccinated with vaccine antipneumococcal. The data compared with general population showed a difference between the two groups (P<0.0001).
Conclusion:
The vaccination status is an important gauge to evaluate the quality of assistance in children in the general population and more than in this vulnerable group of children.
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