Vaccination coverage in German adults

Abstract

In the absence of an immunisation register, vaccination coverage in Germany must be estimated. Ten years after the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98), the population survey DEGS1 is one of the data sources that can be used for monitoring vaccination coverage. In the survey, data on vaccination history were obtained from vaccination cards and self-reports. The prevalence of immunisation for tetanus and diphtheria was higher compared to the prevalence estimated 10 years previously in GNHIES98. Nonetheless, 28.6% of adults have not been vaccinated against tetanus and 42.9% have not been vaccinated against diphtheria within the last 10 years. Vaccination is especially low among the elderly, among adults with low socioeconomic status and in western Germany. During the last 10 years, only 11.8% of women and 9.4% of men were vaccinated against pertussis in western Germany; vaccination coverage was twice as high in eastern Germany. In 2009, recommendations were published to combine the next tetanus immunisation with a pertussis immunisation; therefore pertussis vaccination coverage might improve in the coming years. The lifetime prevalence of influenza vaccination obtained in DEGS1 is higher than the annual vaccination rate for influenza. However, the lifetime prevalence among adults aged 60 years or older is still below the annual rate of 75% recommended by the WHO.