Dataset Information

State of inequality in diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis immunisation coverage in low-income and middle-income countries: a multicountry study of household health surveys.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Immunisation programmes have made substantial contributions to lowering the burden of disease in children, but there is a growing need to ensure that programmes are equity-oriented. We aimed to provide a detailed update about the state of between-country inequality and within-country economic-related inequality in the delivery of three doses of the combined diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, and pertussis-containing vaccine (DTP3), with a special focus on inequalities in high-priority countries.

Methods

We used data from the latest available Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys done in 51 low-income and middle-income countries. Data for DTP3 coverage were disaggregated by wealth quintile, and inequality was calculated as difference and ratio measures based on coverage in richest (quintile 5) and poorest (quintile 1) household wealth quintiles. Excess change was calculated for 21 countries with data available at two timepoints spanning a 10 year period. Further analyses were done for six high-priority countries-ie, those with low national immunisation coverage and/or high absolute numbers of unvaccinated children. Significance was determined using 95% CIs.

Findings

National DTP3 immunisation coverage across the 51 study countries ranged from 32% in Central African Republic to 98% in Jordan. Within countries, the gap in DTP3 immunisation coverage suggested pro-rich inequality, with a difference of 20 percentage points or more between quintiles 1 and 5 for 20 of 51 countries. In Nigeria, Pakistan, Laos, Cameroon, and Central African Republic, the difference between quintiles 1 and 5 exceeded 40 percentage points. In 15 of 21 study countries, an increase over time in national coverage of DTP3 immunisation was realised alongside faster improvements in the poorest quintile than the richest. For example, in Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Gabon, Mali, and Nepal, the absolute increase in coverage was at least 2·0 percentage points per year, with faster improvement in the poorest quintile. Substantial economic-related inequality in DTP3 immunisation coverage was reported in five high-priority study countries (DR Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan), but not Uganda.

Interpretation

Overall, within-country inequalities in DTP3 immunisation persist, but seem to have narrowed over the past 10 years. Monitoring economic-related inequalities in immunisation coverage is warranted to reveal where gaps exist and inform appropriate approaches to reach disadvantaged populations.

Funding

None.

SUBMITTER: Hosseinpoor AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4985563 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundRoutine childhood vaccination is among the most cost-effective, successful public health interventions available. Amid substantial investments to expand vaccine delivery throughout Africa and strengthen administrative reporting systems, most countries still require robust measures of local routine vaccine coverage and changes in geographical inequalities over time.MethodsThis analysis drew from 183 surveys done between 2000 and 2016, including data from 881 268 children in 49 African countries. We used a Bayesian geostatistical model calibrated to results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017, to produce annual estimates with high-spatial resolution (5 × 5 km) of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine coverage and dropout for children aged 12-23 months in 52 African countries from 2000 to 2016.FindingsEstimated third-dose (DPT3) coverage increased in 72·3% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 64·6-80·3) of second-level administrative units in Africa from 2000 to 2016, but substantial geographical inequalities in DPT coverage remained across and within African countries. In 2016, DPT3 coverage at the second administrative (ie, district) level varied by more than 25% in 29 of 52 countries, with only two (Morocco and Rwanda) of 52 countries meeting the Global Vaccine Action Plan target of 80% DPT3 coverage or higher in all second-level administrative units with high confidence (posterior probability ≥95%). Large areas of low DPT3 coverage (≤50%) were identified in the Sahel, Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, and in Angola. Low first-dose (DPT1) coverage (≤50%) and high relative dropout (≥30%) together drove low DPT3 coverage across the Sahel, Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, Guinea, and Angola.InterpretationDespite substantial progress in Africa, marked national and subnational inequalities in DPT coverage persist throughout the continent. These results can help identify areas of low coverage and vaccine delivery system vulnerabilities and can ultimately support more precise targeting of resources to improve vaccine coverage and health outcomes for African children.FundingBill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Project description:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease with a neurodegenerative component of the central nervous system. Immunomodulatory therapy can increase the risk of infection, which is a particular risk for MS patients. Therefore, a complete vaccination status is of utmost importance as protection against vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. Our aim was to investigate the vaccination status, vaccination card knowledge and the vaccination behavior of MS patients with regard to vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and poliomyelitis. Three hundred twenty-seven patients with MS were evaluated by anamnesis, clinical examination, structured interview and vaccination card control in this two-center study. Based on the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute, we assessed the completeness of the vaccination status of the examined vaccinations. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of patients with complete/incomplete or correctly/wrongly self-reported vaccination status was performed. In the cohort analyzed, the vaccination coverage was 79.5% for tetanus, 79.2% for diphtheria, 74.8% for pertussis and 84.8% for poliomyelitis. The assumed vaccination status was higher for tetanus (86.5%) and lower for diphtheria (69.4%), pertussis (61.2%) and poliomyelitis (75.9%). Patients who were unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated against tetanus had received vaccination advice from a physician less often in the past year (13.4 vs. 36.9%, p < 0.001) and had no one to check the vaccination card more often (35.8 vs. 12.3%, p < 0.001). High sensitivity (93.7%) and low specificity (30.3%) were determined regarding the validity of self-reported tetanus vaccination status. Patients with a correctly reported tetanus vaccination status were more likely to have their vaccination card checked by a physician than those who overestimated or underestimated their vaccination status (76.7 vs. 63.0/43.8%, p = 0.002). Similar findings were seen with regard to diphtheria, pertussis and poliomyelitis vaccination. Patients without a regular vaccination card control (17.1%) were more likely to be male (44.6 vs. 29.4%, p = 0.037), had fewer siblings on average (1.1 vs. 1.6, p = 0.016), dealt less frequently with the issue of vaccination in the past year (32.1 vs. 69.3%, p < 0.001) and more frequently had the wish to receive vaccination advice (48.2 vs. 34.4%, p = 0.030) than patients in whom the vaccination card was checked regularly by a physician. To minimize the risk of infection in MS patients, treating physicians should provide regular vaccination counseling and perform vaccination card controls, as these factors are associated with a higher vaccination coverage and a higher validity of self-reported vaccination statuses.

Project description:ImportanceInfants younger than 1 year have the highest burden of pertussis morbidity and mortality. In 2011, the US introduced tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination during pregnancy to protect infants before vaccinations begin.ObjectiveTo assess the association of maternal Tdap vaccination during pregnancy with the incidence of pertussis among infants in the US.Design, setting, and participantsIn this ecologic study, a time-trend analysis was performed of infant pertussis cases reported through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019, in the US. Statistical analysis was performed from April 1, 2020, to October 31, 2022.ExposuresMaternal Tdap vaccination during pregnancy.Main outcomes and measuresPertussis incidence rates were calculated and compared between 2 periods-the pre-maternal Tdap vaccination period (2000-2010) and the post-maternal Tdap vaccination period (2012-2019)-for 2 age groups: infants younger than 2 months (target group of maternal vaccination) and infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months (comparison group). Incidence rate differences between the 2 age groups were modeled using weighted segmented linear regression. The slope difference between the 2 periods was estimated to assess the association of maternal Tdap vaccination with pertussis incidence among infants.ResultsA total of 57 460 pertussis cases were reported in infants younger than 1 year between 2000 and 2019; 19 322 cases (33.6%) were in infants younger than 2 months. During the pre-maternal Tdap vaccination period, annual pertussis incidence did not change among infants younger than 2 months (slope, 3.29 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .28) but increased slightly among infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months (slope, 2.10 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .01). There was no change in the difference in incidence between the 2 age groups (slope, 0.08 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .97) during the pre-maternal Tdap vaccination period overall. However, in the post-maternal Tdap vaccination period, incidence decreased among infants younger than 2 months (slope, -14.53 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .001) while remaining unchanged among infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months (slope, 1.42 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .29). The incidence rate difference between the 2 age groups significantly decreased during the post-maternal Tdap vaccination period (slope, -14.43 per 100 000 infants per year; P < .001). Pertussis incidence rate differences were significantly different between the pre-maternal and post-maternal Tdap vaccination periods (slope difference, -14.51 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .01).Conclusions and relevanceIn this study, following maternal Tdap vaccine introduction, a sustained decrease in pertussis incidence was observed among infants younger than 2 months, narrowing the incidence gap with infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months. These findings suggest that maternal Tdap vaccination is associated with a reduction in pertussis burden in the target age group (<2 months) and that further increases in coverage may be associated with additional reductions in infant disease.