A survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that military kids weren't up to date on their vaccines compared to other children.
Dr. Angela Dunn, an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, worked with her colleagues in analyzing the database of the National Immunization Survey (NIS) that interviewed parents of more than 104,000 children across the country between 2007 and 2012. The children's ages ranged from 19 to 35 months.
The researchers assessed the vaccination rates of the children by checking if they were up to date on the recommended vaccines up to age three: at least four doses of a shot called DTaP (which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough/pertussis); three doses of the polio vaccine; one dose of a vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella; three doses of Hib shot for bacterial infections including meningitis and pneumonia; three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine; and at least one shot for chicken pox, according to Reuters.
The team divided the children into two groups: non-military kids and military kids. Almost three percent of the children were military dependents.
The analysis showed that the military kids' vaccination rates were seven percent lower compared to other children: 28 percent of the military kids weren't up to date on their vaccines as opposed to 21 percent of non-military dependents.
The researchers believe that the difference is due to the multiple moves of military families. Due to constant transfers, parents tend to delay their children's vaccines and can lose their medical records.
"If the family forgot about a move, or a health care provider, the study would not be able to capture the data," Dr. Robert Frenck, a retired Navy pediatrician who currently practices at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center who is not part of the study, told Reuters Health. "Also, if the family has lost their immunization record, the new provider would not have a record."
The findings of the study highlight the need for an electronic health record database so that health care providers can easily access and track the vaccination and medical records of children.
The study was published in the April 13 issue of Pediatrics.
