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Protect
the Circle of Life
Immunize
our nations |
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"Let
us put our minds together to see
what life we can make for our children."
--Sitting Bull, Lakota Sioux, 1877 |
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Why Immunize
our children? |
Responsibility
to our communities
Ensuring
the safety and health of our American
Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN)
communities is our responsibility.
If enough people in our communities
are protected, vaccine-preventable
diseases will not be passed to
our children, our families, and
our communities.
Responsibility
to our families
It
is especially important to ensure
the health of our families. An
infant's immune system does not
yet have the necessary defenses
to fight off infectious diseases.
This makes our children more susceptible
to these illnesses. Immunization
is one of the most important tools
we have to protect our children
from disease.
Vaccines
protect Natives
Immunization
can protect Natives from vaccine
preventable diseases that continue
to threaten Native people at a
much higher rate than other ethnicities.
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Top
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Vaccines
can prevent diseases |
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Bacterial
Meningitis |
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Measles,
Mumps, Rubella (german measles) |
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Polio
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Diphtheria,
Pertussis (whooping cough), Tetanus (lockjaw)
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Hepatitis
A, Hepatitis B |
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Pneumococcal
diseases |
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Influenza
(flu) |
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Varicella
(chickenpox)
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But I've never even seen some of
these diseases!
Today, we see fewer people
getting sick from these diseases
in the U.S. The reason is that
responsible health care providers
and parents have given millions
of children vaccines over the past
years.
But
don't be fooled. Those diseases
are still out there. If we stop
giving our children vaccines, the
diseases that made people sick
and even killed them only a few
years ago will return.
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Respecting
the Circle
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By taking
preventive measures, such as getting immunizations
against disease... |
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By ensuring that our
nations thrive mentally, spiritually, emotionally,
and physically... |
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By
respecting the connection between
our physical health and our environment
health...
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Top
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Where
immunizations are provided |
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are 12 Indian Health Services located
around the country. Immunizations
are provided for Native people free
of charge at these agencies. However,
vaccines can be administered by most
health care providers at low or no
cost. |
Where
can I get my child vaccinated?
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Indian
Health Service facilities |
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Local
health departments |
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Community,
urban or rural health center clinics |
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Vaccines
for Children participating provider*
*American
Indian and Alaska Native children,
through 18 years of age, can get
vaccines through the
Vaccines for Children Program
(VFC) at no charge. Ask if your
doctor is a "VFC" participating
provider. If your doctor is, you
can get your child's shots in the
doctor's office. |
Top
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Vaccination
coverage levels |
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Good
news! For the first time,
the National Immunization Survey
(NIS) has reported coverage levels
for the Alaska Native population
as a distinct population group.
Survey results show the success
of combined vaccination strategies:
vaccination coverage among Alaska
Native populations has already
exceeded initial goals. To learn
more, read the following articles.
Vaccination
Coverage of American Indian/Alaska
Native Children Aged 19 to 35 Months:
Findings From the National Immunization
Survey, 1998–2000
Source: American Journal
of Public Health, December 2003
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/full/93/12/2046
Vaccination
Coverage Levels Among Alaska Native
Children Aged 19-35 Months -- National
Immunization Survey, United States,
2000-2001
Source: MMWR* August 1,
2003 / 52(30);710-713
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5230a6.htm
*Note:
The Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report (MMWR) Series
is prepared by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). The
data in the weekly MMWR are provisional,
based on weekly reports to CDC
by state health departments. |
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Contact
information |
National Immunization Hotline
| phone:
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1-800-232-2522
(English)
1-800-232-0233 (Spanish)
1-800-243-7889 (deaf and hard of hearing) |
| hours:
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9:00
a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST |
| CDC
web site: |
www.cdc.gov/nip |
more
info.: |
NIP
web site contact page
(National Immunization Program's mailing address,
fax number, e-mail address, etc.) (www.cdc.gov/nip/webutil/contact/other-contact.htm) |
Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)
phone: |
404-639-8222 |
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www.cdc.gov/nip/vfc
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Top
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Links
to related government sites |
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DHHS Healthfinder site
for American Indians
and Alaska Natives |
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Indian
Health Services |
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Office
of Minority Health |
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Office
of Tribal Affairs |
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(.pdf)
order
poster online
(.rtf)*
