Child Immunization Annual Uptake Rates by NHS Board in Scotland

Children in Scotland are protected through immunization against many serious infectious diseases. Vaccination programmes aim both to protect the individual and to prevent the spread of these diseases within the wider population. As a public health measure, immunizations are very effective in reducing the burden of disease.

This publication provides an annual update of immunization uptake rates for children in Scotland at 12 months and 24 months. The release includes data to 31 December 2018. Data are presented by NHS Board, local authority and deprivation category.

The European Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that on a national basis at least 95% of children are immunized against diseases preventable by immunization and targeted for elimination or control. These include diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), measles, mumps and rubella. In Scotland a target of 95% uptake of one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine by five years of age (with a supplementary measure at 24 months) was introduced in 2006 to focus efforts on reducing the number of susceptible children entering primary school.

Uptake rates, sometimes referred to as coverage, relates to the number of children immunized against a particular disease as a proportion of the children eligible to have received the appropriate vaccine. Uptake rates are calculated as follows:
(Total number of eligible children immunized /Total number of eligible children in the population) X 100