Comparison of rubella immunization rates in immigrant and Italian women of childbearing age: Results from the Italian behavioral surveillance system PASSI (2011-2015).
Massimo FabianiGianluigi FerranteValentina MinardiCristina GiambiFlavia RiccardoSilvia DeclichMaria MasoccoPublished in: PloS one (2017)
Differences in RIR between immigrant and Italian women were not explained by different demographic, socioeconomic and health-risk behaviors characteristics. As entitlement to free-of-charge immunization in Italy is universal, regardless of migration status, other informal barriers (e.g., cultural and barriers to information access) might explain lower RIRs in immigrant women, especially recent immigrants and those from HMPC in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Further investigations are needed to identify obstacles and appropriate promotion and access-enabling strategies for rubella immunization.