WASHINGTON, DC—Continued increases—as much as 15%—were made in nationwide coverage for vaccines specifically recommended for pre-teens, according to CDC estimates released in August.

The survey of more than 20,000 teens aged 13-17 found that in 2009 there were increases in the percentage of teens in this age group who had received vaccines routinely recommended for 11- and 12-year-olds. Specifically:

• For one dose of the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap®), coverage went up about 15 points to about 56%. For one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine, coverage went up about 12 points to about 54%.
• For girls who received at least one dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, coverage increased 7 points to about 44%. However, for girls who received the recommended three doses of HPV vaccine, coverage was only about 27% (a 9% increase).
• For one dose of HPV vaccine, no differences were observed between racial/ethnic groups. However, coverage was higher among teens living in poverty compared with those living at or above the poverty level. For the recommended three doses of HPV vaccine, differences were observed between racial/ethnic groups, including significantly lower coverage for blacks and Hispanics compared to whites.

There were no significant differences in coverage by racial/ethnic group or by poverty status for Tdap or meningococcal conjugate vaccine.

As in 2008, there was wide variation in adolescent vaccination coverage among state and local areas. “This year’s data are mixed,” said Anne Schuchat, MD, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a written statement. “We can see that more parents of adolescents are electing to protect their children from serious diseases such as pertussis, meningitis, and cervical cancer, but there is clear room for improvement in our system’s ability to reach this age group.”

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