Can non-individual factors be associated with mothers’ intention to complete childhood immunization? Findings from a cross-sectional study in Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: Child immunization completion remains worrisome in Sub-Saharan Africa. Immunization completion is affected by individual and non-individual factors, although, the non-individual factors have not been well studied and documented in Nigeria. The study examined the non-individual factors influencing mothers’ intention to complete immunization of children 0-2 years in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers of children 0-2 years registered in three selected Primary Health Centres in a district of Lagos State who completed a self/interviewer-administered Socio-ecological model-based questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics at a 5% level of significance were performed. Results: Mean age of respondents was 32.68 ± 7.19 years. The mean level of interpersonal factors was (1.18 ± 0.39) and therefore low. Environmental and policy factors were also low with mean scores of (1.09±0.28) and (1.06±0.24) respectively. All mothers (100%) had the intention to complete immunization. There was no significant relationship between interpersonal factors (r(421) = 0.089, p = 0.067) and environmental factors (r(421) = 0.057, p=0.242) and the mother’s intention to complete child immunization, but, there was a significant relationship between policy factor (r(421) = 0.100, p=0.039) and mother’s intention to complete child immunization. Conclusion: Continuous encouragement of mothers through policy-level mechanisms should continue, to aid the completion of childhood vaccination for the maintenance of health and welfare of both the mother and the child (ren).