Survey: Adolescent vaccination on the rise

ATLANTA A recent survey out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that adolescent vaccination at the national, state and selected local area levels are all on the rise.

Continued increases — as much as 15% — were made in nationwide coverage for vaccines specifically recommended for pre-teens, according to 2009 National Immunization Survey-Teen estimates released Thursday by the CDC.

The survey of more than 20,000 teens ages 13 to 17 years found that in 2009 there were increases in the percentage of teens in this age group who had received vaccines routinely recommended for 11- and 12-year-olds. Specifically: 

     • For one dose of the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine, coverage went up about 15 points to about 56%;      • For one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine, coverage went up about 12 points to about 54%;      • For girls who received at least one dose of human papillomavirus vaccine, coverage increased 7 points to about 44%.         However, for girls who received the recommended three doses of HPV vaccine, coverage was only about 27% (a 9% increase);

"This year's data are mixed," stated Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "We can see that more parents of adolescents are electing to protect their children from serious diseases such as pertussis, meningitis and cervical cancer, but there is clear room for improvement in our system's ability to reach this age group."

"Pertussis outbreaks in several states and an increase in pertussis-related infant deaths in California highlight how important it is for pre-teens to receive the Tdap booster," Schuchat added. "It is important for teens and adults to get a one-time dose of Tdap to protect themselves and those around them from whooping cough. Young infants are most vulnerable to serious complications from pertussis and can be infected by older siblings, parents or other caretakers."