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Vaccination coverage among adolescents in certain provinces of Greece.

Bitsori M, Ntokos M, Kontarakis N, Sianava O, Ntouros T, Galanakis E

Department of Paediatrics, Infectious Diseases Unit, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece.

AIM: To estimate the vaccination coverage in a sample of adolescents in Greece. METHODS: Vaccination status was estimated in 483 adolescents aged 15-19 y in four prefectures. The criteria for full vaccination were based on the recommendations of the Greek National Vaccination Schedule. RESULTS: The participation rate in the study was 78.7% (380/483 adolescents). The rates of full vaccination were 94.2% for poliomyelitis, 78.4% for hepatitis B, 77.4% for BCG, 65.0% for tetanus and 54.4% for diphtheria. The rates of full vaccination for measles, rubella and mumps were 65.0%, 57.6%, and 56.0%, respectively. For pertussis, the full vaccination rate was only 36.0%, and 7.1% of the study population was totally unvaccinated. The most missed dose for all vaccines was the final booster dose, which is usually administered in older children or adolescents. CONCLUSION: Adolescent vaccination coverage was not satisfactory in this study, mainly due to non-compliance to the final booster dose. Completion of missing vaccines at this age represents the last opportunity for massive intervention and would be of essential value for individual and community protection against common preventable diseases.

Published 28 September 2005 in Acta Paediatr, 94(8): 1122-5.
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