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Immunization Coverage of Vulnerable Children: A Comparison of Health Center and National Rates

Pennsylvania State University

Robert M. Politzer

John Wulu

Health Resources and Services Administration

Serving a predominantly poor and minority population, health centers are positioned to address national immunization disparities in the context of comprehensive primary care. Having demonstrated success in eliminating disparities for other preventive services, this study evaluates health center effectiveness in mitigating immunization disparities. Up-to-date health center and national immunization rates were obtained from the 1995 User and the 1995 National Health Interview Surveys. For the most part, national immunization disparities were not found among health center children. However, black children served at health centers were still significantly less likely to be vaccinated for polio and Medicaid children significantly less likely for measles. Health center outreach and enabling services are hypothesized to facilitate regular access to care and thus timely immunization. Additional health center analysis is necessary to establish factors responsible for the relative absence of disparities, uncover persistent barriers to immunization, and identify structural attributes that may further raise immunization coverage.

Key Words: immunization • vaccination • children • community health centers

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