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IMMUNIZATIONS

SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH

UPDATE ON CHILDREN’S VACCINES

Vaccination Rates, HPV and the Texas Vaccines for Children Program

By Lynna Agado and Megan Miller

Bexar County, immunization coverage rates remain high leased in August. This represents a slight increase over the 2017
but, with recent outbreaks and setbacks in coverage rates rates (46.4%). Specifically, more males are up to date, with an in-
for some key vaccine preventable diseases, Bexar County crease from 37.2% in 2017 to 43.6% in 2018. In the case of females,
must continue to increase its vaccination rates. The Texas Vaccines the rates decreased from 55.6% in 2017 to 52.5% in 2018. These
for Children (TVFC) program presents an opportunity for physi- results highlight the need for continued efforts to ensure all boys
cians in Bexar County to increase vaccination rates by eliminating and girls are vaccinated on time to ensure adolescents receive the
barriers to offering and obtaining vaccines. best protection against HPV-related cancers. Additionally, physicians
Based on the most recent data (2017) from the National Immu- can help increase HPV vaccine uptake by doing the following:
nization Survey (NIS), 75.6% of children 19-35 months old in Bexar • Have an “HPV Vaccine: Same Way, Same Day” type discussion
County have received the “4:3:1:3:3:1:4” vaccine series, a rate which with all your 11-12 year-old patients.
is higher than the averages of 70.4% in the United States and 67.8% • Understand that parents may have concerns about vaccinations
in the State of Texas (the 4:3:1:3:3:1:4 vaccine series is a marker re- and be prepared to address parents’ questions about all adoles-
flecting coverage for seven key vaccine series including diphtheria, cent vaccines.
tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, • Continue efforts to ensure all boys and girls are vaccinated on
polio, pneumococcal, and varicella). time.
• Follow up with adolescents who are due for additional doses by
However, the Bexar County coverage rate is still below implementing a reminder-recall system.
the Healthy People 2020 target of 80%.
Texas Vaccines for Children (TVFC) Program
While the overall series rate has steadily increased since 2014, Another way to promote the HPV vaccine, as well as other vac-
completion rates for hepatitis A and DTaP lag behind coverage for cines, is by enrolling in the TVFC program. This federally funded
other vaccines in Bexar County. program provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not
otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Participating in
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccinations the TVFC program also saves physicians money, as they no longer
Unfortunately, in 2018 only 48.0% of Bexar County adolescents have to buy vaccines for eligible patients. Eligible patients include
were up to date with the HPV vaccine, according to NIS data re- children (birth through 18 years of age) who meet one of the fol-

12 San Antonio Medicine • November 2019