Childhood Immunizations
Goal:
Measure
The measure in this category is the percentage of children aged
19-35 months with complete 4:3:1:3:3:1 immunization records.
Why This Indicator is Important
Childhood immunizations can prevent disability and
death from infectious diseases for individuals and can help control the spread
of infections within communities. Many diseases that were once common such as
polio, diphtheria, and measles, have either been eliminated from the Western
Hemisphere or occur at record lows.
How Are We Doing?
The Immunization rate for Midland County is at 78% (about an 8% increase) while Michigan’s has increased from 70% to 74.3% in between 2010 and 2013. Immunization rates in Midland County are now above state rates and equal to other counties in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Some reasons for this improvement are increasing education and choice of parents (research shows that income levels impact parental choice on immunizations).