Immunisation Coverage Annual Report 2019.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Immunisation
• Child Health

Background:

• Monitoring vaccination coverage is crucial for assessing public health and identifying disparities.
• Australian Immunisation Register data provides a comprehensive overview of childhood immunisation status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in childhood vaccination coverage and timeliness between 2018 and 2019 in Australia.
• To identify trends in vaccination coverage across different age milestones and demographic groups, including Indigenous children and those in disadvantaged areas.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Australian Immunisation Register data for children under 5 years old.
• Focus on vaccination coverage at standard age milestones (12, 24, 60 months) and timeliness of vaccination.
• Stratification of data by Indigenous status, socioeconomic status, and geographic remoteness.

Main Results:

• Overall 'fully vaccinated' coverage increased slightly, reaching 94.3% at 12 months, 90.2% at 24 months, and 94.2% at 60 months in 2019.
• Indigenous children showed significant improvements in coverage, with rates higher than the national average at 60 months, though timeliness issues persisted.
• Influenza vaccination coverage increased substantially for both Indigenous and overall child populations.
• Disparities in vaccination timeliness were observed for Indigenous, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and remote populations, although some improvements were noted.

Conclusions:

• Australian childhood immunisation indicators showed general improvement in 2019.
• Persistent challenges in vaccination timeliness for Indigenous and socioeconomically disadvantaged children require targeted interventions.
• Consideration of new coverage targets for early childhood protection and review of assessment algorithms are recommended.