Objectives: This study aims to examine the social disparity of child vaccination in Taiwan using both of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine and influenza vaccine as examples. Methods: Data for the analysis came from the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study. We included 20,099 children who completed interview surveys at both 6 months and 18 months old, with a response rate of 83.4%. The dependent variables were whether vaccinated with DTP (any DTP or DTaP) and influenza vaccine; the independent variables used were parents' educational attainment, monthly family income, and urbanization of residential areas. Results: The vaccination rate of any DTP vaccine and influenza vaccine reached 97.1% and 59.9%, respectively. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that: after controlling children’s sex, maternal nationality and age at birth, the odds ratio of taking DTaP vaccine was two times higher for the highest socioeconomic groups than that of their lowest counterparts (p<0.001), while the influenza vaccination rates were higher only in the groups of the highest family income group and higher urbanization. Conclusions: Our study reconfirmed that socioeconomic status affects childhood vaccination. The efficacy of vaccine and compulsory vaccination policy play an essential role in increasing coverage rate of childhood immunization, and free of charge could be an important strategy to tackle disparities of childhood immunization across different socioeconomic groups.
Objectives: This study aims to examine the social disparity of child vaccination in Taiwan using both of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine and influenza vaccine as examples. Methods: Data for the analysis came from the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study. We included 20,099 children who completed interview surveys at both 6 months and 18 months old, with a response rate of 83.4%. The dependent variables were whether vaccinated with DTP (any DTP or DTaP) and influenza vaccine; the independent variables used were parents' educational attainment, monthly family income, and urbanization of residential areas. Results: The vaccination rate of any DTP vaccine and influenza vaccine reached 97.1% and 59.9%, respectively. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that: after controlling children’s sex, maternal nationality and age at birth, the odds ratio of taking DTaP vaccine was two times higher for the highest socioeconomic groups than that of their lowest counterparts (p<0.001), while the influenza vaccination rates were higher only in the groups of the highest family income group and higher urbanization. Conclusions: Our study reconfirmed that socioeconomic status affects childhood vaccination. The efficacy of vaccine and compulsory vaccination policy play an essential role in increasing coverage rate of childhood immunization, and free of charge could be an important strategy to tackle disparities of childhood immunization across different socioeconomic groups.