[The medical care and vaccinal coverage of the children of Filipino mothers].

We present data on the access to health care services and vaccination coverage of a sample of children born to Filipino mothers in the city of Barcelona (Spain). The sample was obtained by snowball sampling from the community reference centers for the identified migrant Filipino population. Access to public health care services is much lower for this population than for the whole population, which causes use of private services to compensate for this shortcoming. The causes are related to the residence and working status of a segment of this migrant population. Vaccination coverage for two and three year olds was 68% for measles, mumps and rubella, 52% with four doses for polio, diphtheria and tetanus and 48% with four doses for pertussis. Vaccination coverage is slightly higher for four and five year olds, with a coverage of 73.9% for measles, 69.5% for mumps and rubella and 73.9% with four doses for polio, diphtheria and tetanus, and 69.5% with four doses for pertussis. Vaccination coverage of 6 to 14 year old children is much lower. It is possible that real vaccination coverage is higher, but vaccination cards or records have been lost by the families. These results are much lower than global vaccination levels for the city, but comparable to those described in the inner city district where most of these children live. The causes of this situation, their implications and how to improve them are discussed.