CommunityConnections: 2005 Summer Edition - Trust News - The Colorado Trust

Childhood Immunization White Paper Released

In 2002 and 2003, Colorado placed 50th among states for childhood immunizations in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's rankings.

To identify the underlying factors of this ranking, and to better inform future grantmaking, The Trust - along with the Caring for Colorado Foundation - asked the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) to examine immunization policy and practice in Colorado. The resulting paper, Colorado Childhood Immunization Rates: Policy and Practice, analyzes Colorado vaccination trends, identifies gaps in current immunization efforts and provides options for improvement.

Released June 9, the report notes that the state's immunization rates for 2-year-olds are at or near the federal government's Healthy People 2010 objectives for all recommended individual vaccines, except for the fourth dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP). The study also found that recommended vaccines often are not provided at the suggested age and that certain population groups have vaccination coverage rates that are lower than the statewide average.

The paper outlines three recommendations for improving Colorado's immunization rates:

  1. Create a state-level vision and plan that strengthens coordination between the programs administered by the Department of Public Health and the Environment and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and includes private sector stakeholders such as health plans and the physician community.
  2. Invest in information systems to improve data for planning, evaluation and immunization program monitoring purposes.
  3. Make strategic investments that improve access to immunizations and address Colorado priorities.

The CHI immunization study is available both as a full report and a policy brief.

Visit www.coloradohealthinstitute.org for more information.