Indicator: 15 - Young Children Immunized

Why This Is Important

Childhood vaccinations can prevent the diseases that killed or permanently impaired many children in past decades. Studies have shown that over $13 is saved for every dollar invested in measles/mumps/rubella vaccination. Vaccination is particularly important before children enter preschool to prevent the spread of diseases.

Where We Stand

During the 1990s, Maine's childhood vaccination rates increased dramatically, to the highest in the nation. No records exist of a Maine child dying of a vaccine-preventable disease during the 1990s. As of 2000, 84% of Maine's 19-35 month old children were age-appropriately immunized. This was slightly better than the national percentage of almost 78%.

*Important Note: The source of information for Maine immunizations changed in 2000, so data for that year is not comparable to the period from 1995 to 1999.

Data Sources and Context

The source of Maine data for this indicator between 1995 and 1999 was the Maine Immunization Program, Bureau of Health, Maine Department of Human Services. Immunization rates were estimated from retrospective surveys of five-year olds entering a representative sample of Maine schools each year.

National data for the entire period, and Maine data for 2000, comes from the National Immunization Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey uses a phone survey to estimate vaccination coverage levels for children age 19 to 35 months. Results for the year 2000 survey can be found at http://www.nisabt.org/public/papers/mmwr2000.htm.

Children are considered to be "age-appropriately immunized" if they have "4:3:1 Series Coverage," that is, 4 doses of DPT (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) vaccine, 3 doses of Poliovirus vaccine, and 1 dose of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine. For a child to receive these immunizations, a minimum of 4 well child visits to a health care professional is necessary.