Possible causes and consequences of low measles vaccination coverage: an integrative literature review study

Abstract

Measles is a viral, infectious, preventable disease that requires high vaccination coverage in order for herd immunity to be achieved and for outbreaks to be prevented. This study aims to identify the possible causes and consequences of low measles vaccination coverage. This is an integrative literature review based on original articles published in electronic databases between 2015 and 2021. Said articles were identified through controlled descriptors, prepared for structural and methodological evaluation, and categorized using the thematic content analysis technique. After application of the inclusion, exclusion and checklist criteria, six publications remained. Two thematic categories were defined: “Possible causes of low measles vaccination coverage worldwide” and “Consequences of low measles vaccination coverage”. Evidenced causes included: absent, incomplete or late vaccination schedule, late implementation of mass vaccination, insufficient stock of vaccines, and increased hesitation on the part of parents. The consequences were an increase in measles cases, in the risk of mortality, and in the health expenses of the public sector. It was concluded that a reduction in measles vaccination coverage has the potential to impact the population’s health conditions, to raise morbimortality indicators and to cause losses to public coffers.