Differences in uptake of immunisations and health examinations among refugee children compared to Danish-born children: a cohort study

Differences in uptake of immunisations and health examinations among refugee children compared to Danish-born children : a cohort study

Refugee children and their families constitute a vulnerable group regarding health and access to care. In a register-based cohort design, we examined differences in uptake of immunisations and child health examinations between refugee children and Danish-born children, including predictors of uptake among refugee children. Refugee children (n = 16,701) who, between January 1993 and December 2010, obtained residency permits in Denmark were included and matched in a 1:6 ratio on age and sex with Danish-born children (n = 100,206). Personal identification numbers were cross-linked to the National Danish Health Service Register, identifying all contacts for immunisation and child health examinations. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) of uptake. Refugee children had a lower uptake of all immunisations compared to Danish-born children. The lowest uptake was found for immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio (HR = 0.50; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.48–0.51). Participation in child health examinations was also lower among refugee children with the lowest at the last child health examination at age 5 (HR = 0.48; 95 % CI 0.47–0.50). Adjusting the analysis for parental income increased the HRs by 10–20 %.Conclusion: This Danish register-based study using nationwide data revealed a lower uptake of routine immunisations and child health examinations among refugee children compared to Danish-born children.

Hjern, AndersStockholms universitet,Centrum för forskning om ojämlikhet i hälsa (CHESS),Karolinska Institutet, Sweden(Swepub:su)ahjer (author)
Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie (author)
Norredam, Marie (author)
Stockholms universitetCentrum för forskning om ojämlikhet i hälsa (CHESS) (creator_code:org_t)

In:European Journal of Pediatrics: Springer Science and Business Media LLC175:4, s. 539-5490340-61991432-1076

By the author/editor: Pagh Moller, San ...; Hjern, Anders; Nybo Andersen, A ...; Norredam, Marie

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Health Sciences; and Public Health Gl ...

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.