[Inequity in infant vaccination coverage in Colombia 2000 and 2003].

OBJECTIVE

Identifying inequity in childhood vaccination coverage in towns throughout Colombia for both immunisations scheme and type of vaccine.

METHODS

An ecological study using secondary information for 2000 and 2003. Three indicators were measured: (1) gaps in coverage (understood as being the differences between municipal coverage and that at national level), (2) Gini coefficient and (3) Lorenz's curve.

RESULTS

Decreasing national vaccination coverage was found, dropping from 78.8% in 2000 to 66.8% in 2003. The number of towns having gaps in their coverage also increased during the two years being studied. Vaccination coverage concentration coefficients and curves showed inequalities between the municipalities during the two years being studied, although Gini coefficients improved from 0.18 to 0.13 for vaccination coverage between 2000 and 2003. The anti-influenza vaccine had the greatest decrease in inequality during the years being studied, followed by the anti-hepatitis B vaccine. The smallest change was recorded for the tuberculosis vaccine (BCG). Poliovirus vaccine estimations lay between those for BCG and hepatitis B.

CONCLUSIONS

Action should be focused on municipalities identified as having recurring low coverage and large gaps compared to the national level.