By Adriana Lisa
Editor’s note: Part three in an investigative series on the recent measles outbreak in the United States.
Concern has grown in recent months over a potential increase of measles cases on Long Island owing to high rates of the infectious disease nationwide. Low-income families, however, often struggle with access to the healthcare services that they need, including preventive vaccinations.
This year, Long Island has seen one confirmed case of measles in Suffolk County, which was a child under a year old who had recently traveled overseas. The child was too young to be vaccinated. Since then, there have been no other confirmed cases on the Island of the highly contagious disease, which causes rash, runny nose, red eyes and high fever.
While both adults and children can contract the disease, children are more at risk. For children with the measles virus, 5% will suffer from pneumonia and need to be hospitalized, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC recommends that children receive the first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 to 15 months, and the second at 4 to 6 years. The New York State Department of Health recently reported that 82% of children in Nassau County had received their first of two MMR vaccines by age 2, while in Suffolk County, the figure was 82.6%. This compared with the statewide average of 81%. The five New York counties with the highest MMR vaccination rates by age 2 included: Niagara, 89.3%; Onondaga, 89.2%; Seneca, 88.2%; and Oswego and Wyoming, both at 87.8%.
A vaccination rate of 95% is needed to achieve “herd,” or societal, immunity, according to health officials.
For families who cannot afford healthcare services and required vaccinations, New York State offers support so they can keep their children healthy, including the Immunization Action Program.
“Suffolk County has participated in the Immunization Action Program for decades. The mission of the IAP is to ensure that children in Suffolk County are fully immunized by their second birthday,” said Grace Kelly-McGovern, public relations director for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. “To comply with this mission, the department holds immunization clinics, conducts immunization audits in private providers’ offices and nursery/day care centers, conducts educational programs for healthcare professionals and stakeholder members in the community, and responds to immunization questions.”
In Nassau County, future doctors and nurses are collaborating with organizations to improve healthcare for low-income families. At Hofstra University, Doctor of Nursing Practice candidates are working with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless to improve healthcare for individuals who are unhoused. In part, the partnership aims to increase vaccination rates among vulnerable communities.
Among the barriers to vaccination that low-income families face are:
• Misaligned clinic hours.
• Limited transportation.
• Lack of technology to schedule an appointment.
Belief may also play a role among low-income populations. “Communities that have historically faced healthcare disparities often exhibit greater skepticism and hesitancy toward vaccinations,” said Keith Weiner, assistant chair of the undergraduate nursing program at Hofstra University. “This mistrust is fueled by misinformation and limited access to accurate education about the benefits of vaccines and the risks of not receiving them.”
According to Weiner, “This reduced immunity increases the risk of widespread transmission, particularly in under-vaccinated populations, ultimately resulting in higher infection rates.”
In part, the Suffolk Health Department raises awareness about its vaccination programs through social media. For example, Kelly-McGovern said, “We collaborated with the Suffolk County Medical Society and our local branch of the American Academy of Pediatrics on a short video recommending on-time vaccination for all young children.” With social media, she noted, vaccination rates among low-income populations have increased.
Additionally, collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to spread the word and deploying mobile units and pop-up vaccination sites at high-traffic locations and community events have been effective in increasing vaccination rates, according to Kelly-McGovern.
For more information on New York State immunization programs, email nysiis@health.ny.gov or call (518) 473-2839.
To reach the Suffolk County Department of Health, call (631) 854-0000, or go online to www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health.
To contact the Nassau County Department of Health Immunization Services, call (516) 227-9416.
For the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, go to www.addressthehomeless.org.
Here are additional resources:
Nassau University Medical Center NuHealth Family Health Centers
These centers, in Elmont, Freeport/Roosevelt, Hempstead and New Cassel/Westbury, offer immunization services to low-income families. They accept patients who are uninsured, underinsured or covered by Medicaid.
Long Island Federally Qualified Health Centers
LIFQHC operates multiple health centers in Nassau and Suffolk counties. These centers provide comprehensive healthcare services, including vaccinations, to underserved populations. Services are offered on a sliding-fee scale based on income.
For a list of FQHC’s, go to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration’s website.
Scott Brinton contributed to this story.
