In:
ASU Arbeitsmedizin Sozialmedizin Umweltmedizin, Alfons W. Gentner Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Vol. 2020, No. 12 ( 2020-12-01), p. 770-775
Abstract:
Vaccination status of young employees: A survey of entrants in the Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) Objectives: In addition to the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at the Robert-Koch-Institut, there are also jobrelated vaccination recommendations for special occupational groups. This applies equally to soldiers, but there is insufficient scientific data on vaccination rates. For this reason, the following study examined the extent of the vaccination gaps among young people entering the armed forces. Methods: As part of a cross-sectional study at Rotenburg (Wümme), Lower Saxony, the existing vaccination rates among soldiers in relation to tetanus, diphtheria, poliomyelitis, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were recorded and compared statistically between the three recruitment quarters (II/ to IV/2016). Results: The vaccination booklets of 247 recruits (age: 20.5 ± 2.7 years) from three quarters were recorded. The rate of unavailable vaccination booklets was 23.1 %. The vaccination rates were between 2 % for TBE and 75 % for measles. Whilst low vaccination protection rates were identified for TBE and hepatitis A/B in particular, the rates were also found to be as low as 44–60 % for the „typical“ tetanus, poliomyelitis and diphtheria vaccinations. There were high numbers of „expired“ full protection: these ranged from 19 % (diphtheria) to 50 % (hepatitis B). Conclusions: The results of the study indicate a clear lack of vaccination protection in a random sample of German citizens with an average age of 20 who started their service in the Bundeswehr as young professionals. Although, as expected, this was very low for vaccinations that are not standard STIKO vaccinations (hepatitis A, TBE), there were also significant vaccine deficiencies in the vaccinations recommended by STIKO in the young adults examined here. Keywords: military – vaccination – prevention – infection disease
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0944-6052
DOI:
10.17147/asu-2012-8715
Language:
Unknown
Publisher:
Alfons W. Gentner Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
Publication Date:
2020
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