Children who have not received any doses of vaccines by 3 months of age are one-third less likely to be immunized than children who did. Catch-up vaccinations can be given if the child did not get the vaccinations at the recommended times. But delays result in less protection against disease. In most cases, multiple vaccines can be given without increasing the risk of adverse effects or decreasing the effectiveness of the vaccines. Immunization saves money . . .
Immunization is one of the most cost-effective medical interventions available.
No single factor accounts for underimmunization, but various risk factors have been identified, including low parental education levels, low socioeconomic status, young parental age, use of public clinics, and lack of prenatal care. Some children miss immunization because their records are misplaced and parents and providers are not aware of which vaccinations the child has had. Some states have instituted computerized immunization records to ensure that all children's records are up to date and complete, even if they move or change health care providers. South Dakota is the first state in the nation to have such a system in place statewide. Opportunities to vaccinate children may be missed because providers are misinformed about contraindications or are unwilling to give more than two vaccines during the same visit.