Evaluation of Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination Among Newly Arrived Refugees

OBJECTIVES: To assess US availability and use of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination documentation for refugees vaccinated overseas.

METHODS: We selected 1500 refugee records from 14 states from March 2013 through July 2015 to determine whether overseas vaccination records were available at the US postarrival health assessment and integrated into the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices schedule. We assessed number of doses, dosing interval, and contraindications.

RESULTS: Twelve of 14 (85.7%) states provided data on 1118 (74.5%) refugees. Overseas records for 972 (86.9%) refugees were available, most from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Electronic Disease Notification system (66.9%). Most refugees (829; 85.3%) were assessed appropriately for MMR vaccination; 37 (3.8%) should have received MMR vaccine but did not; 106 (10.9%) did not need the MMR vaccine but were vaccinated.

CONCLUSIONS: Overseas documentation was available at most clinics, and MMR vaccinations typically were given when needed. Further collaboration between refugee health clinics and state immunization information systems would improve accessibility of vaccination documentation.