Vaccination coverage is decreasing worldwide, favoring the potential reemergence of vaccinepreventable diseases. In this study, we performed a longitudinal characterization of vaccination coverage in Brazil and compared the profiles between the distinct regions in the country to test whether there has been a substantial change over the last 5 years. Methods: De-identified publicly available data were retrieved from the repository of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, comprising detailed information on vaccination coverage in all age groups between 1994 and 2019. The vaccination coverage for the whole country and for each Brazilian region, by year, was examined, and a time-series pattern analysis was performed. Results: A significant decrease in overall vaccination coverage across the country regions was observed between 2017 and 2019, especially in childhood immunization. A reduction in BCG, hepatitis B, influenza, and rotavirus vaccine coverage was observed. Conversely, vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and meningococcus showed an increase in coverage. Region-specific changes in vaccination patterns within the study period were observed. Conclusions: A substantial reduction in vaccination coverage was detected in Brazil, a country already highly susceptible to the emergence of epidemic infectious diseases. Continuing evaluation of the immunization program actions may help to improve vaccination coverage and prevent new epidemics.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.