Impact of childhood vaccination on morbidity from preventable diseases: Systematic review 2015-2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2602-8360vol9iss17.2025pp185-194pKeywords:
preventable diseases, morbidity, childhood immunizationAbstract
Childhood vaccination is key to reducing morbidity from preventable diseases, but global coverage has declined, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) following the COVID-19 pandemic. This PRISMA/PICO systematic review analyzed 10 studies (from 184 records in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus) on the impact of vaccination in children aged 0 to 12 years (2015-2024). The findings show that childhood vaccination programs are highly effective, dramatically reducing morbidity and mortality from preventable diseases such as pneumonia, measles, and chickenpox, as well as generating herd immunity in unvaccinated populations. In addition, they show unexpected systemic benefits, such as a reduction in non-specific symptoms (diarrhea, fever) and improvements in general health indicators. Although vaccines are cost-effective, gaps persist due to structural inequalities, misinformation, and fragile health systems. Urgent interventions focused on equitable access, community trust, robust regional metrics, and sustainable financing are needed to avoid irreversible health crises. The evidence underscores the need for policies tailored to local contexts and coverage rates above 95% to maximize impact in the post-pandemic era.
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