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Immunisation surveillance: a comparison of four methods in Canterbury
1Department of Community Health and General Practice, Christchurch School of Medicine.
Aims:
To evaluate four methods of immunisation surveillance by comparing the estimates obtained for Canterbury in the National Immunisation Coverage Survey with estimates calculated using data on immunisation distribution, general practitioner immunisation benefit claims and immunisation coverage at school entry.
Methods:
Estimates were calculated using existing data sources on vaccine distribution, immunisation benefit claims, school entry immunisation coverage and live births in Canterbury. The survey was conducted according to a WHO protocol.
Results:
The estimates based on vaccine distribution were of no use. The school entry data available did not allow complete evaluation of this method, which has some potential advantages. A number of inconsistencies were found between estimates from the survey and from immunisation benefit claims, between north and south Canterbury and between the two years for which estimates were calculated using benefit claims.
Conclusions:
It is concluded that the most practicable option, the immunisation benefit claim system, would require careful evaluation and improvement before it could be relied upon for immunisation coverage surveillance. The feasibility of each method as a means of immunisation surveillance is discussed.
