Association between acculturation and childhood vaccination coverage in migrant populations: a population based study from a rural region in Bavaria, Germany.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of our analysis was to investigate the association between acculturation and the vaccination coverage among pre-school children.

METHODS

We performed a study of vaccination status for measles-mumps-rubella and hepatitis B among pre-school children, during mandatory school entry examinations, in a district of Bavaria, Germany, in 2004 and 2005 (N = 2,043). Prior to the examinations, parents were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire assessing socio-demographic information, including variables related to migration background (response rate 73%, N = 1,481). We used Categorical Principal Component Analysis (CATPCA) to create an acculturation index and assessed the association between the acculturation and vaccination status for both vaccines.

RESULTS

We found no difference in vaccination status with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in relation to acculturation. The coverage with at least three doses of hepatitis B vaccine was similar among migrants and in the indigenous population, but the risk of incomplete (1 or 2 doses) versus full vaccination was higher (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.34-5.61) and the risk of lacking vaccination lower (OR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.12-0.77) among less acculturated migrants compared to the indigenous population.

CONCLUSIONS

For multi-dose vaccines lower acculturation was associated with incomplete vaccination, but the partial protection in this group was higher compared to indigenous population.