Estimated vaccination coverage for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b and varicella, by children 2 years of age, Canada and the provinces and territories, 2013, compared with national standard
Notes:
Coverage represents the % of children 2 years of age who have received the vaccine.
Source: CICH table created using data adapted from the Public Health Agency in Canada (PHAC). Vaccine Coverage in Canadian Children. Results from the 2013 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey (CNICS). 2016 http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/aspc-phac/HP40-156-2016-eng.pdf – accessed May 26, 2017.
In 2013, for children age 2 years, none of the provinces/territories reached the vaccination coverage rates recommended in the Canadian national standards for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB) and varicella.
Implications
Across Canada, publicly-funded immunization programs are provided for the routine administration of childhood vaccines against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B infections. Each vaccine is administered according to provincial and territorial immunization schedules which vary slightly between jurisdictions.
To monitor the protection of a population against vaccine preventable diseases, coverage is considered an important health indicator. It is a sensitive measure and can be used as a proxy measurement to evaluate health services, systems, and interventions.
National standards for the reporting of immunization coverage in Canada were last published in 2005.1
1Government of Canada. Immunization coverage and registries. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization-coverage-registries.html – accessed May 26, 2017; and,
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/national-standards-immunization-coverage-assessment-recommendations-canadian-immunization-registry-network.html – accessed May 26, 2017.