Vaccination coverage levels among children two years of age and selected aspects of vaccination practices in Canada - 1996.

Objective: To obtain population-based estimates of coverage for routine childhood vaccinations at two years of age and information about selected aspects of vaccination practices in Canada.

Methods: Data were collected through a mail survey of a sample of households with two-year-olds born between February 1993 and January 1994. To obtain population estimates, survey data were weighted to match known population distributions of geographic region, community size, household income level and single-parent versus two-parent family type.

Results: Up-to-date vaccination coverage was estimated as 84.8% (95% CI 82.0 to 87.3) for diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine, 89.9% (95% CI 87.4 to 92.0) for polio vaccine, 93.3% (95% CI 91.2 to 95.0) for measlesmumps-rubella vaccine and 69.3% (95% CI 65.8 to 72.6) for type b vaccine. Less than one per cent of children had not received vaccination of any kind. Ninety-five per cent of parents cited the benefits of vaccination as a reason for having their children vaccinated.

Conclusion: Coverage levels indicate that the national targets set for 1997 for up-to-date vaccination of children at two years of age have been reached for mumps and rubella, and good progress isbeing made towards targets for the remaining vaccines. Special attention from providers and parents is required to prevent vaccination delays, particularly for 18-month booster doses.