Socio-demographic Factors affecting the Immunisation Status of Hospitalized Pre-school Children

Abstract

Summary:Socio-demographic Factors affecting the Immunisation Status of Hospitalized Pre-school Children. 1998; 25:57. A study was conducted to determine the socio-demographic factors affecting the immunisation status of 303 children aged 1-59 months admitted over a 12-month period to the Jos University Teaching Hospital. The factors studied inciuded the age, sex, piace of delivery: gestational age at birth, birth weight, number of siblings, birth order and immunisation status of the children. Maternal data inciuding age, educational levei, occupation and antenatal care re ceived were also obtained. Other factors studied inciuded ethnic group, religion, domicile, socio economic status and whether polygamous or monogamous family. One hundred and ninety-six of the 303 children were maies and 107 females. The overall immunisation rate was 62.4 per cent. Inadequate immunisation was associated with male sex (P = 0.007), lack of maternal edu cation (P = 0.0000196), lack of antenatal care (P = 0.00000025), home delivery (P = 000006), ethnic group (P = 0.00029), religion (P = 0.007), rural domicile (P = 0.00025) and low socio economic status (P = 0.00036). The present study has shown that there are still adverse factors (both within the health care delivery system and socio-cultural factors) preventing adequate utilization of immunisation services. More aggressive mobilization to create demand and educa tion of parents on the benefits and importance of childhood immunisation need to be vigorously pursued and sustained. Adverse socio-cultural factors that encourage home delivery such as the "purdah" system need to be discouraged through health education and community involvement. The need for political and economic stability, and establishment of an autonomous body respon sible for vaccine procurement production and other immunisation services is also advocated.