As part of a national strategy to increase childhood immunisation rates in Australia, the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) commenced operation on 1 January 1996.
At 30 June 2003, of the 42,111 Tasmanian children under the age of 7 years registered with the ACIR, those fully immunised to the highest level appropriate for their age group included:
- 91.9% of those aged 12 months to less than 15 months.
- 93.6% of those aged 24 months to less than 27 months.
- 82.2% of those aged 72 months to less than 75 months.
Source: Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, Health Insurance Commission.
In 1998, among Tasmanians aged 18 years and over:
- 76.4% thought that immunisation was very effective in preventing childhood disease.
- 20.5% thought that immunisation was effective.
- 1.0% thought that immunisation was not very effective.
- 0.4% thought that immunisation was not effective at all.
Source: Healthy Communities Survey, 1998, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services.
In 1998 Tasmanians aged 18-24 were least likely to think that immunisation was very effective (68.1%), whilst Tasmanians aged 55-64 were most likely to believe immunisation was very effective.
BELIEFS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IMMUNISATION, Tasmania - 1998 |
|
| Age Group |
|
|
| 18-24 | 25-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65-74 | 75+ |
| | | | | | |
Response | % | % | % | % | % | % |
|
Very effective | 68.1 | 74.6 | 78.6 | 80.6 | 79.5 | 73.3 |
Effective | 27.9 | 21.6 | 17.5 | 15.7 | 16.1 | 18.2 |
Not very effective | *1.2 | *1.0 | *1.0 | *0.7 | *0.7 | *1.3 |
|
* estimate has a relative standard error of between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution |
Source: Healthy Communities Survey, 1998, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services. |