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Dear Colleagues,
The article just published in the journal International Health, provides a timely contribution at this time of concern among immunization specialists about the leveling off of global vaccination coverage. Why children are not vaccinated: a review of the grey literature (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876341312000496) summarizes the findings of numerous local studies of factors hindering higher coverage. The article analyzes insights from 130 grey literature documents and roughly prioritizes factors associated with non- or under-immunization. It also proposes the characteristics of the most effective studies on reasons for under-immunization and notes how many of the factors are intertwined. The article is based on a review prepared at the request of WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) in 2009 (http://www.who.int/immunization/sage/ImmBasics_Epid_unimm_Final_v2.pdf). Two sister studies, also completed at WHO's request, are referenced in the article. This work was carried out under the USAID-funded IMMUNIZATIONbasics and MCHIP projects.
Sincerely,
Robert Steinglass
Immunization Team Leader
Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP)
Immunization Senior Advisor, JSI