[Prevention by vaccination of children and young people. Obstacles and examples of effective measures in the Federal State of Brandenburg].

This article identifies successful vaccination strategies, obstacles to such strategies and the role that schools can play in terms of health education by analysing vaccination rates among children in the Federal State of Brandenburg. The analysis is based on the vaccination status of Brandenburg's children at day care centres and schools in relation to the social status of their parents, the extent to which preventive examinations (U up to J1) is taken advantage of and regional location. Furthermore, an evaluation is rendered of the vaccination awareness campaign which has been carried out in sixth grade students since 2002 to assess the impact of health promotion at schools. In the Federal State of Brandenburg vaccination coverage among infants and toddlers is good, with approximately 94% having received complete basic vaccination in 2003. By contrast, there are marked deficits among tenth grade schoolchildren in terms of refresher vaccinations, basic hepatitis B vaccinations and the second measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations. Vaccination status is strongly dependent on the social status of parents and the extent to which preventive medical examinations and regional medical health-care provision are utilized. Systematic checking of vaccination documents by the public health services promotes vaccination awareness. Prevention by vaccination is most effective when combined with preventive medical examinations, effective local vaccination management and interdisciplinary interventions: education at schools, systematic tracking of vaccination documents combined with the provision of vaccinations in doctors' surgeries and additionally by the public health services.