Idaho Fights Lagging Immunizations Baby Track Program To Boost Rate From 48th In The Nation

In 1994, only half of the 2-year-olds in Idaho were getting the immunizations they needed.

A rash of whooping cough and a newly launched volunteer program helped boost immunization rates in 1995 to 61 percent.

But even with that gain, Idaho is ranked 48th in the nation for its immunization rates.

A program being launched statewide is designed to boost statewide immunization rates to 90 percent by tracking new parents and reminding them to have their children immunized.

The Idaho Baby Track Program is a project of Volunteers in Service to America workers with the state’s health districts, which were hired to tackle Idaho’s low immunization rates.

The percentage of children in the state getting their vaccinations has varied from a low of 33 percent in 1977 to a high of 85 percent in 1981, according to the health department.

With low immunization rates come outbreaks of disease.

In 1994, North Idaho’s immunization rate was less than 50 percent. About the same time, the health district started receiving many reports of pertussis, or whooping cough. Outbreaks of whooping cough have been almost a regular part of the landscape since then.

In fact, Idaho has a higher incidence of whooping cough than almost any other state in the nation. So far this year, the Panhandle Health District alone has reported 98 confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease.

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system. It causes a cough, which can become spasmodic, pinching the airways and making it difficult to breathe.

“It’s pretty serious,” said Merlene Fletcher, manager of the state immunization program. “Prior to the vaccine, it was a regular killer of children.”

Idaho had an outbreak of measles in 1991-92 which was carried into the state by a college choir, Fletcher said.

“That year, we led the nation in the incident rate of measles,” she said.

Vaccines for pertussis and measles are part of the regular schedule of vaccines for children between infancy and 24 months.

Under Baby Track at Kootenai Medical Center, new mothers are asked by hospital auxiliary volunteers if they are interested in signing up for the program. If so, the mothers will be contacted by postcard and by phone to remind them when their children’s shots are due.

One health district study has shown that regular reminders, whether by phone or mail, definitely increase immunization rates.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Idaho’s children immunizations