ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Pediatrica 2016 February;68(1):36-9

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Immunization status of children in foster homes: the first Italian data

Pietro FERRARA ¹, Giovanna C. FABRIZIO ¹, Lorenza ROMANI ², Francesca IANNIELLO ¹, Piero VALENTINI ¹, Francesco ALVARO ³, Antonio GATTO ¹ ✉

¹ Institute of Pediatrics Sacro Cuore Catholic University, Rome, Italy; ² Campus Bio‑Medico University, Rome, Italy; ³ Commissioner for Children Lazio Region, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper was to evaluate vaccination coverage among children living in forest homes.
METHODS: Data come from pediatric evaluation of a sample of children in group-homes in Rome, between September 2011 and April 2012, and compared vs. general population group.
RESULTS: As for About children in foster homes it was found that 91/112 children (81.2%) had the vaccine coverage for all vaccines that compose the hexavalent (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine; 88/112 (78.6%) have been vaccinated for measles-mumps-rubella; 10/112 (8.9%) were vaccinated with meningococcal vaccine; 15/112 (13.4%) have been vaccinated with vaccine antipneumococcal. The data compared with general population showed a difference between the two groups (P<0.0001).
CONCLUSION: The vaccination status is an important gauge to evaluate the quality of assistance in children in the general population and more than in this vulnerable group of children.