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Show Immunizations Table 94. Utah Kindergarten Children Immunizations Year % Immunized 1978 94.0 1979 94.6 1980 96.9 1981 96.9 1982 96.9 1983 93.4 1984 95.1 1985 94.3 1986 93.8 1987 93.0 1988 92.4 1989 93.3 1990 93.1 1991 92.1 1992 93.0 1993 93.9 1994 93.5 Schools are required to report immunization status of all enrolled children to the Utah Department of Health.* This information is then compiled into an estimate of the proportion of kindergarten-age children who are immunized. Although these figures have remained in the 90% range, they have shown a slight decrease since 1982. The data for kindergarten immunizations were obtained from a survey of public, private, and parochial schools, as well as licensed health care centers and Head Start programs. 1 Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology. (1992, March). Epidemiology Newsletter. Salt Lake City: Author, p. 1. 2 Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology. (1990, Oct.). Communicable Disease Newsletter. Salt Lake City: Author, p. 1. Since 1990, to be considered adequately immunized at two years of age a child's immunization record must show four doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP); three doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV); and one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR).^ Starting in July 1992, children younger than five years old were required to receive adequate immunization for Haemophilus Influenza Type B. Hepatitis B shots are currently being recommended for newborns. Several changes were made in the Utah survey techniques employed and in the number of doses of DTP required in order for a child to be considered adequately immunized. This limits the extent to which meaningful comparisons can be made between 1991 to 1994 data and earlier years. Table 95. Utah Children Immunized at 24 Months of Age Year % Immunized 1984 59.2 1987 59.6 1991 36.5 1992 41.3 1993 46.5 1994 49.3 As more women move into the workplace, an increased number of children attend preschool and day care facilities. This would seem to indicate an increased importance of adequately immunizing two-year-old children. Although the rate has increased each year during the 1990s, less than half of Utah's two-year-old children have been immunized, and rates are still below those of the mid 1980s. 106 Health Risks to Children and Infants |