Vaccination Increases Among US Teens (Along With Slip 'N Slide Use)

Despite unfounded concerns about vaccine risks among toddlers, more American teens are receiving their recommended vaccinations, including those against meningococcus and human papillomavirus, according to CDC survey results published in last week's MMWR. Increases in the receipt of delayed childhood vaccinations in adolescents—like those for MMR, hepatitis B, and varicella—are also reported.

By conducting a random survey of 2947 adolescents (age range, 13-17 years), the CDC's National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) discovered a statistically significant increase (11.7% → 32.4%) in the receipt of MCV4 (eg, Menactra; sanofi-aventis) from 2006 to 2007, and that approximately one quarter of adolescent girls had initiated coverage with the 3-dose HPV4 vaccine (Gardasil; Merck) last year. A slightly smaller percentage (23.5%) had received all 3 doses of HPV4 at the time of the survey.*

Coverage for recommended childhood vaccinations among the survey population is as follows.

When assessing children 13-15 years of age, the hepatitis B vaccine (≥3 doses) was received by 89.5% and at least 2 doses of MMR were received by 89.0%. These coverage rates nearly reach the DHHS targets of 90% for the year 2010.

For this year's survey, NIS-Teen will collect data from a larger population sample to examine vaccination coverage by ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and locality.

HepB = hepatitis B vaccine; HPV4 = quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine; MCV4 = meningococcal conjugate vaccine; MMR = measles, mumps, rubella vaccine; Td = tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccine; Tdap = tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis vaccine; VAR = varicella vaccine.

* Routine vaccination with HPV4 is recommended for girls at the ages of 11-12 years.

Screen shot of teens lovin' the Slip 'N Slide from YouTube. Note that increase in vaccination coverage and apparent increase in Slip 'N Slide use among teens does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship; although you can't engage in backyard fun when you've been killed by infectious disease.