Evaluation Of Measles Vaccination Coverage In Austria

• Published in: Value in health 2017-10, Vol.20 (9), p.A798-A799
• Main Authors: Miksch, F, Popper, N, Bicher, M, Haar, K, Paulke-Korinek, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age differences; Aging; Births; Children; Decision makers; Dosage; Emigration; Health initiatives; Immigrants; Immigration; Immunization; Infectious diseases; Insurance coverage; Measles; Outbreaks; Sales; Uncertainty; Vaccination; Young adults
• ISSN: 1098-3015; 1524-4733
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2017.08.2367

OBJECTIVES: Monitoring the measles vaccination coverage is important towards the WHO goal to eradicate measles until 2020. In Austria, small outbreaks still occur occasionally. The aim is a coverage of 95% with two doses for all adults and children of age 2 and above. METHODS: As a basis, we used an agent-based model of the Austrian population that simulates from 1998 until 2015, where each person is represented by an agent. The model includes ageing, births, deaths, emigration, and immigration, and is based on data from Statistics Austria and Eurostat. Vaccination data from different sources since the introduction of the national immunization program in 1998 were combined: the administered vaccinations including the age of children, the delivered doses without age-specific information, and sales data from the private market. The resulting vaccination numbers were distributed among the model population according to the recommended immunization scheme in each year. The initial coverage of age groups born before 1998 is estimated based on the 1998 vaccination data. RESULTS: The model showed reliable results for children born 1997 and later. In 2015, more than 95% of 6 year olds are vaccinated once. However, 2-5 years olds only have a coverage of 92%. The coverage for two doses was 85% and 82% respectively. Additionally, it turns out that a third of young adults born before 1997 are missing a second dose. CONCLUSIONS: The model is able to give insights into the situation on measles coverage in Austria and to inform decision makers about the most important issues. Coverage for small children can be presented in a high quality while coverage for teenagers and young adults underlie a greater uncertainty due to immigrants with unknown vaccination status and vaccinations of persons with an undocumented age.