Unequal even in precariousness. Homeless children born in France are 2 to 14 times more likely to be vaccinated than those born outside the country.
Even in the street, inequalities persist. This is particularly the case with vaccination, reveals the latest Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin (BEH) of the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS). The Observatoire du Samu social de Paris is interested in the protection of children who have no home. Significant disparities appear between children born in France and those born outside France.
100% in DT-Polio
More and more families find themselves without housing. Between 2011 and 2012, the number of homeless French-speaking households increased by 50%. A quarter of them have young children. However, this population remains poorly known, because it is “often excluded from epidemiological surveys carried out in the general population and little represented in the rare surveys carried out among homeless people”, explain the authors.
751 children whose families are accommodated in social hotels, emergency accommodation, social reintegration centers or for asylum seekers were included in this work.
They highlight a real gap between the French homeless and foreigners. At 24 months, minors born in France have vaccination coverage greater than 90% in many vaccinations. It is generally close to the general population. In the case of DT-Polio, for example, the proportion of children to date reaches 100% in all cohorts, except that of 2010-2011.
No longer vaccinated against hepatitis B
In the case of hepatitis B vaccination, the protection is even greater compared to the general population. “This probably reflects the perception by doctors of a higher risk of contracting hepatitis B in these children often belonging to families originating from a country endemic to this infection,” argue the authors. Another explanation could be a higher prevalence of maternal chronic hepatitis B in mothers who warranted serovaccination at birth. “
This observation cannot be extended to children born outside France. At 24 months, vaccination coverage is less than 50% in all the vaccinations observed.
In fact, at the same age, children born in France are 2 to 14 times more likely to be protected than those born outside the country. Catching up is far from making up for this delay. “Particular attention should be paid to this specific population to ensure better accessibility to vaccination,” recommend the authors.
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