Trends in childhood vaccinations coverage in Lombardy Region after the National Vaccine Prevention Plan (2017-19) and the new law on mandatory vaccinations

Main Article Content

Roberto Croci
Deanna Rossi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2192-6967
Maria Eugenia Colucci http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4971-594X
Anna Odone https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5657-9774
Carlo Signorelli

Keywords

Immunization, vaccines, vaccination coverage, law, obligation, Italy, Lombardy.

Abstract

In Italy, over the last decade, the spread of vaccine hesitancy has caused a steep decrease in vaccination coverage rates, both at the national and regional level. In this study, we pool and critically analyze childhood immunization coverage rates (2011-2018) in Lombardy, Italy’s most populated region, and compare them to national trends. Overall, childhood vaccination coverage in Lombardy is slightly higher the Italian national average. In 2017, the law on mandatory vaccinations came into force, acting as a powerful tool for coverage increase.

Abstract 551 | PDF Downloads 125

References

1. MacDonald NE. Vaccine hesitancy: Definition, scope and determinants. Vaccine. 2015;33(34):4161-
2. Gualano MR, Bert F, Voglino G, Buttinelli E, D'Errico MM, De Waure C, et al. Attitudes towards compulsory vaccination in Italy: Results from the NAVIDAD multicentre study. Vaccine. 2018;36(23):3368-74.
3. Giambi C, Fabiani M, D'Ancona F, Ferrara L, Fiacchini D, Gallo T, et al. Parental vaccine hesitancy in Italy - Results from a national survey. Vaccine. 2018;36(6):779-87.
4. Vaccine hesitancy: a generation at risk. Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. 2019;3(5):281-.
5. Fine P, Eames K, Heymann DL. "Herd immunity": a rough guide. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 2011;52(7):911-6.
6. World Health Organization. Global measles and rubella strategic plan : 2012-2020. 2012.
7. Decreto-Legge 7 giugno 2017, n.73, “Disposizioni urgenti in materia di prevenzione vaccinale”.
8. Legge 31 luglio 2017, n. 119. “Conversione in legge, con modificazioni, del decreto-legge 7 giugno 2017, n. 73, recante disposizioni urgenti in materia di prevenzione vaccinale.".
9. Ministero della Salute. Piano nazionale prevenzione vaccinale 2017–2019. [Available from: http://www. salute. gov. it/imgs/C_17_pubblicazioni_2571_allegato. pdf.]
10. D'Ancona F, Gianfredi V, Riccardo F, Iannazzo S. Immunisation Registries at regional level in Italy and the roadmap for a future Italian National Registry. Ann Ig. 2018;30(2):77-85.
11. Signorelli C, Odone A, Cella P, Iannazzo S. Childhood vaccine coverage in Italy after the new law on mandatory immunization. Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita. 2018;30(4 Supple 1):1-10.
12. Signorelli C, Odone A, Cella P, Iannazzo S, D'Ancona F, Guerra R. Infant immunization coverage in Italy (2000-2016). Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita. 2017;53(3):231-7.
13. Odone A, Landriscina T, Amerio A, Costa G. The impact of the current economic crisis on mental health in Italy: evidence from two representative national surveys. The European Journal of Public Health. 2018;28(3):490-5.
14. Amendola A, Bubba L, Piralla A, Binda S, Zanetti A, Pariani E, et al. Surveillance and vaccination coverage of measles and rubella in Northern Italy. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics. 2015;11(1):206-
15. Giunta Regionale Lombardia, Deliberazione n° X/7629 Determinazione in ordine alle vaccinazioni dell'età infantile e dell'adulto in Regione Lombardia: aggiornamenti alla luce del Piano Nazionale Prevenzione Vaccinale 2017-2019.
16. Ministero della Salute. Vaccinazioni dell'età pediatrica e dell'adolescente - Coperture vaccinali. [Available from: http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/documentazione/p6_2_8_3_1.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=20.]
17. Veronesi L, Affanni P, Verrotti di Pianella C, Colucci ME, Tanzi ML. Immunity status against poliomyelitis in childbearing women in a province of northern Italy. A cross-sectional analysis. Ann Ig. 2013;25(5):427-33.
18. European C, Statistical Office of the European U. Eurostat regional yearbook : 2019 edition 2019 [Available from: http://publications.europa.eu/publication/manifestation_identifier/PUB_KSHA19001ENN.]
19. Ferre F, de Belvis AG, Valerio L, Longhi S, Lazzari A, Fattore G, et al. Italy: health system review. Health systems in transition. 2014;16(4):1-168.
20. Petrelli F, Contratti CM, Tanzi E, Grappasonni I. Vaccine hesitancy, a public health problem. Ann Ig. 2018;30(2):86-103.
21. Odone A, Signorelli C. When vaccine hesitancy makes headlines. Vaccine. 2017;35(9):1209-10.
22. D'Ancona F, D'Amario C, Maraglino F, Rezza G, Iannazzo S. The law on compulsory vaccination in Italy: an update 2 years after the introduction. Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin. 2019;24(26).
23. Covolo L, Croce E, Moneda M, Zanardini E, Gelatti U, Schulz PJ, et al. Meningococcal disease in Italy: public concern, media coverage and policy change. BMC public health. 2019;19(1):1061.
24. Allan N, Harden J. Parental decision-making in uptake of the MMR vaccination: a systematic review of qualitative literature. Journal of public health. 2015;37(4):678-87.
25. Signorelli C, Odone A, Ricciardi W, Lorenzin B. The social responsibility of public health: Italy's lesson on vaccine hesitancy. Eur J Public Health. 2019;29(6):1003-4.
26. Burioni R, Odone A, Signorelli C. Lessons from Italy's policy shift on immunization. Nature. 2018;555(7694):30.
27. Biasio LR, Corsello G, Costantino C, Fara GM, Giammanco G, Signorelli C, et al. Communication about vaccination: A shared responsibility. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2016;12(11):2984-7.
28. Rossi D. Bizzarro A, Affanni P, Pasquarella C, Odone, A, Signorelli, C. The educational background of the Top Managers of the Italian Health Authorities: Results of a study on eight Regions. Acta Biomedica 2019; 90(9S): 87-91 . doi: 10.23750/abm.v90i9-S.8731