Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Volume 30, Issue 6, 2006, Pages 526-528

Immunisation of refugee and migrant young people: Can schools do the job? (Article)

Milne B.* , Raman S. , Thomas P. , Shah S.
  • a The Children's Hospital, Department of Adolescent Medicine, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
  • b Western Sydney Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • c Centre for Public Health, Western Sydney Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • d Department of General Practice, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Objectives: To assess immunisation needs, primary health care (PHC) use and trial a school-based immunisation service for refugee and migrant young people attending an Intensive English Centre (IEC) high school in Western Sydney. Methods: We surveyed students attending an IEC in Western Sydney, assessing self-reported immunisation status and use of PHC services via questionnaires translated in six languages. Those students who were not immunised for hepatitis B and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) were provided the first and second dose of a three-dose hepatitis B immunisation schedule and a single dose of MMR vaccine. We compared the immunisation requirements for MMR and hepatitis B with utilisation of PHC. Results: One-hundred and sixty-five students (85%) returned the questionnaire. Forty-nine students (30%) reported previous immunisation with MMR and 29 (18%) with hepatitis B. As part of the school immunisation program, 142 (74%) received MMR vaccine, 151 (78%) received the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine, 144 (95%) received the second dose of hepatitis B, and 34 (23%) received the third hepatitis B dose elsewhere. Sixty-six students (40%) reported seeing a doctor in the past year. Students who had not seen a doctor in the previous year were significantly more likely to request immunisation (p<0.01). Conclusions and Implications: Refugee and migrant young people attending an IEG in Western Sydney report low immunisation rates. Our study highlights the urgent need for education and health to work together to provide specialised immunisation services for refugee and migrant young people.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

education immigrant refugee Australia high school human Refugees Self Report Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine controlled study health status language Health Services Needs and Demand multiple cycle treatment health program school child School Health Services Humans Adolescent male female preventive health service questionnaire New South Wales Article health care utilization Questionnaires Hepatitis B Vaccines adult measles mumps rubella vaccine hepatitis B vaccine mumps Emigration and Immigration single drug dose Immunization Programs rubella hepatitis B immunization measles primary health care Child

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33846131572&doi=10.1111%2fj.1467-842X.2006.tb00780.x&partnerID=40&md5=61a6fe23cceafc370f6b6988b4f72594

DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-842X.2006.tb00780.x
ISSN: 13260200
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English