Journal of global health
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

Immunization coverage among refugee children in Berlin (Article) (Open Access)

Fozouni L. , Weber C. , Lindner A.K. , Rutherford G.W.
  • a School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • b Department of Infectious Diseases, Vivantes Auguste - Viktoria Klinikum, Berlin and Airport Tempelhof Refugee Camp, Berlin, Germany
  • c Department of Infectious Diseases, Vivantes Auguste - Viktoria Klinikum, Berlin and Airport Tempelhof Refugee Camp, Berlin, Germany
  • d School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States

Abstract

Background: The Tempelhof refugee camp offers in-camp immunizations. Other camps, like Neukölln, rely on a centralized immunization system. We aimed to determine the impact of conflict on immunization rates of Syrian children and to measure the efficacy of in-camp immunization services. Methods: Families with children aged 1-5 in Tempelhof and Neukölln camps were surveyed. Surveys included siblings under the age of 18. Differences were compared using χ2 test. Results: Data on 179 children at Tempelhof and 40 children at Neukölln were collected. At Tempelhof, amongst Syrian children, 27.8% under the age of 5 were "fully immunized-memory," in contrast to 73.7% over the age of 5 (P = 0.005). This difference in immunization rates by memory between the age groups was not observed in Afghani children (P = 0.34) or in Iraqi children (P = 0.10). Furthermore, compared to the 27.8% of Syrian children, 75% of Afghani children under the age of 5 were "fully vaccinated-memory" (P = 0.0009). Compared to Tempelhof, more children at Neukölln were partially immunized (93%) or had no immunizations (5%) (P < 0.001).

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Afghanistan Germany refugee Syrian Arab Republic human Refugees war statistics and numerical data Iraq ethnology Surveys and Questionnaires Humans Adolescent preschool child Infant preventive health service Child, Preschool Armed Conflicts questionnaire refugee camp Refugee Camps program evaluation Syria vaccination coverage Immunization Programs Berlin Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85068462535&doi=10.7189%2fjogh.09.010432&partnerID=40&md5=efcee10e32462e04734d0dec35035c9c
DOI: 10.7189/jogh.09.010432
ISSN: 20472986
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English