KEYWORD1:
vulnerable populations
migrant farmworkers

BACKGROUND:
Children of migrant farmworkers may have limited access to health services because of frequent relocation, legal status, language/cultural barriers, and economic disadvantage. These factors place children of migrant farmworkers at increased risk of undervaccination. Few studies have examined immunization patterns in this population.

OBJECTIVE:
To assess immunization patterns of children of migrant farmworkers; to determine patterns of immunization unique to this population that warrant further study.

METHOD:
Immunization records were obtained for 502 children participating in a migrant Head Start program; children were 0-5 years of age. Individual records were reviewed to assess timing of the first vaccine series, MMR, and hepatitis B vaccine (HBV), and overall up-to-date status.

RESULT:
For the 2-month-old vaccine series (DTaP, polio, Hib) 86% of children received at least 1 vaccine by the time they were 3 months of age; however, 17% of children did not receive all three recommended vaccines on the same date. 66% of children began the HBV series by 7 days of life, and 82% of children had received MMR by 16 months of age. Overall, 88% of children 19-35 months were up-to-date for the 4:3:1:3 series.

CONCLUSION:
Overall immunization rates were surprisingly high for this vulnerable population; this finding may be related to program requirements or outreach. Further study is needed to determine immunization rates in children of migrant farmworkers who are not enrolled in Head Start. In addition, further study is needed to explore factors contributing to children not receiving all recommended vaccines at a single visit.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
Participants will gain an understanding of immunization patterns among children of migrant farmworkers.