Objective: The present study examines the question as to whether the wellbeing of children and adolescents in Austria and the use of vaccination are influenced by migration background. Methods: The data was extracted from the Austrian Health Survey 2014 (ATHIS 2014). It contains health-related information of 5,277 children and adolescents aged 0 to 17 years. The analysis was based on logistic regression models. Results: To stem from a migration background had no influence on the assessment of health or the assessment of complaints. Regarding vaccination, the results showed that the children of study participants born in non-EU foreign countries had twice the chance of being vaccinated as the children of Austria-born parents. No difference existed between the children of Austria-born parents and the children of parents born in non-EU countries. Conclusions: The analysis suggests that children and adolescents with a migration background in Austria are not worse off in terms of their physical wellbeing and vaccination status than children without a migration background. Some thought should, however, be given to the fact that the notion of migration background refers to a heterogenic population. To analyse the risks and chances of children and adolescents from different migrant backgrounds, a more differentiated survey of their migrant background and social situation and a more differentiated survey of health parameters will be required. © 2018, Czech National Institute of Public Health. All rights reserved.

Vaccination Adolescents’ health Children’s health ATHIS 2014 Migration background

physical well-being human controlled study health status Health Surveys Austria Humans migrant Adolescent Infant, Newborn male preschool child female Infant Child, Preschool newborn child health Article thinking major clinical study migration Transients and Migrants vaccination Child health survey