Abstract

TEIXEIRA, Antonia Maria da Silva  and  MOTA, Eduardo Luiz Andrade. Denominators for vaccine coverage estimates: a database study to estimate the population less than one year of age. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2010, vol.19, n.3, pp.187-203. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742010000300002.

OBJECTIVE: to identify population estimates to provide more accurate vaccine coverage (VC) in children under one year old. METHODOLOGY: the spatial-ecological study evaluated VC in 2005 using either data of the Brazilian National Live Births Information System (Sinasc), or the estimate of the population <1 year of age of the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). In the numerator we used the number of 3rd doses of DTP+HIB vaccine administered, provided by the National Immunization Program Information System (SI-API). VC estimates were compared according to population size and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was estimated (R²). RESULTS: outlier values were obtained when using any of the population estimates, especially Sinasc, as well as data related to small towns (<100 live births/year). For those towns, estimates seem less precise. Person’s Correlation Coefficient (R²) between the number of live births and IBGE population estimate for municipalities with <100, 100-999 and ≥ 1,000 live births were, respectively, 59.8%, 87.8% and >95%. CONCLUSION: Sinasc seems to be the best estimate for VC, considering its increasing coverage. Caution is highly recommended when using Sinasc data for small towns VC estimates. The adoption of changes in the SI-API will improve the quality of immunization data.

Keywords : vaccine coverage; live births; estimates population; information system.

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