Indicator: Young Children Immunized

Priority or Priorities: Early childhood development
Initiative(s): Task force on early childhood/early childhood systems initiative
Outcome (s): Children and youth respected, safe and nurtured in their communities

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 2005, 89% of Maine’s 19-35 month old children were age-appropriately immunized. This was slightly better than the national percentage of 83%.

Data Source and Context

Data 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 1999 through 2005 surveys can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/stats-surv/imz-coverage.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.