School Reports  |  Immunization Index  |  Data and Statistics

School Immunization Levels in Indiana

2002-2003 School year

Indiana State Department of Health

Gregory A. Wilson, M.D., State Health Commissioner
M. Elizabeth Carroll, J.D., Deputy State Health Commissioner

Community and Family Health Services Commission

Wendy Gettelfinger, R.N., D.N.S., J.D., Assistant Commissioner

Immunization Program

Michael Runau, M.S., Program Director
Charlene Graves, M.D., Medical Director

Primary Author

Megan Steiger, M.P.H., Epidemiologist

Immunization Program

Indiana State Department of Health
2 North Meridian
Indianapolis , IN 46204
Published: 08/2003

Preface

As required by IC 20-8.1-7-11 , all schools in Indiana are required to self-report immunization coverage levels of their kindergarten, first grade, and sixth grade to the immunization program at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) on an annual basis. The data from the 2002 - 2003 school immunization assessment is summarized in this report.

Highlights

• A total of 1,945 schools (90.3%) reported data on 280,013 kindergarten, first grade, and sixth grade students in their schools.
• Ninety-nine percent of public schools reported immunization data and 73% of private schools reported immunization data.
• Fifty-one percent (751) of schools in Indiana with kindergarten enrollment reported completion levels 95% or higher.
• Eighty-four percent of schools reporting, completed the immunizations necessary according to State requirements. This was the lowest reported over the 8 years listed in Table 1. The drop in immunizations complete may be linked to the vaccine shortage experienced during the 2002-2003 school year.

Table 1. Summary results of Indiana School immunization assessments, 1995-96 to 2002-2003 school years

*1995-96 – 1998-99 school years include: Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, sixth grade, and newly entered students.

†1999-2000 school year includes: Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, sixth grade, and newly entered students ( new requirements for school immunizations began in the 1999-2000 school year ).

‡2000-2001 and 2001-2002 school year includes: Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, sixth grade, and newly entered students

‡‡2002-2003 school year includes: kindergarten, first grade, and sixth grade ( vaccine shortage experienced during 2002-2003 school year ).

Recommendations and Conclusions

• Significant drops in students with complete immunization series were experienced in the 2002-2003 reporting year. The decrease in percent complete may be associated with the vaccine shortage experienced in the 2002-2003 school year.
• Schools and local health departments should review the data on facilities, available on the ISDH Immunization website, in their areas to identify the ones reporting less than 95% completion levels for students in any grade level.
• Schools with low coverage levels should make every effort to improve. Contact your local health department or immunization field representative if you need assistance.
• Schools reaching a 95% vaccination coverage level or greater are congratulated on their efforts and are encouraged to continue their endeavors in the immunization field.
• School administrators and nurses need to stay abreast of changes in state immunization requirements and should work diligently to ensure all incoming students for the new school year are in compliance. An up-to-date listing of immunization requirements for school-age children is available on the ISDH Immunization website ( https://www.in.gov/isdh/programs/immunization ).
• Although assessments are required only once per year, it is of utmost importance that upon enrollment, each school inform parents as to which vaccines are required and give them a reasonable time frame for bringing their children “up-to-date”.
• Schools and parents need to make certain that students missing immunizations receive the proper vaccinations to bring them up-to-date on their immunization requirements.
• School immunization data are available on the ISDH website and we encourage all schools, school administrators, and parents to view the data.

Data in this report was collected from 1,945 schools throughout Indiana and compiled by the Indiana State Department of Health's Immunization Program.