Why Is This Important?

Immunizations are the one of most cost-effective health prevention measures. Development of vaccinations was cited by the U.S. Public Health Service as one of the [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056796.htm Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century]. Vaccines play an essential role in reducing and eliminating disease.

Definition

Percentage of young children who received effective vaccination coverage levels for universally recommended vaccines by a given age

Data Source

How the Measure is Calculated

How Are We Doing?

The coverage rate for the hepatitis B vaccination birth dose doubled between 2010 and 2020 while the DTaP and PCV vaccination coverage rates did not change much during the decade. The proportion of children in the U.S. and in New Jersey who received the recommended doses of DTaP, polio, MMR, Hib, hepatitis B, varicella, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) was fairly constant between 2011 and 2020.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

New Jersey's coverage rate for the full recommended vaccine series is about the same as that of the nation as a whole.

What Is Being Done?

The New Jersey Department of Health's [https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/vpdp.shtml Vaccine Preventable Disease Program] (VPDP) conducts annual assessments of the immunization status for children attending licensed preschools/daycares and schools. The VPDP collaborates with immunization partners, provides education, and supports various immunization initiatives and campaigns at the state and local level. The following are some examples of VPDP activities to promote timely immunizations, increase immunization coverage rates, and reduce immunization access barriers: *Maintains the New Jersey [https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/vpdp/vfc_brochure.pdf Vaccines For Children] (VFC) Program, a federally funded, state-operated vaccine supply program that provides pediatric vaccines at no cost to doctors who serve children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. *Partners with 77 Federally Qualified Health Centers and 63 Local Health Departments to provide immunizations services for those who meet the VFC Program eligibility criteria of being either Medicaid eligible, NJ FamilyCare insured, uninsured, or underinsured. *Supports state and municipality-focused immunization coalitions to provide education and outreach to immunization stakeholders and the public in an effort to increase awareness of the importance of immunization and immunization coverage rates. *Promotes quality improvement by including the use of the [https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/vpdp/ped_and_adolescent_imm_standards.pdf Pediatric and Adolescent Immunization Standards Job Aid] in identifying barriers that impede vaccine delivery and missed opportunities by way of improving provider immunization policies and practices. *Tracks statewide immunization coverage through the official statewide immunization registry, NJ Immunization Information System (NJIIS), which provides a mechanism for medical providers to keep track of patient immunizations, and to send reminder cards/letters to NJ parents whose children are due for immunizations. NJIIS also archives adult immunizations such as pneumovax, tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (TdaP); influenza; smallpox; Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV), Hepatitis A and B, and COVID-19.

More Resources

NJDOH Communicable Disease Program: [http://nj.gov/health/cd/] NJ Immunization Information System: [https://njiis.nj.gov/njiis/index.htm] NJDOH Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Project: [http://nj.gov/health/cd/topics/hepatitisb_perinatal.shtml] National Immunization Survey: [https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/nis/index.html]