Abstract
The success of vaccination campaigns depends on the degree of adherence to immunization initiatives and schedules. Risk factors associated with children's failure to receive the measles vaccine at the correct age were studied in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Case-control and exploratory study, in the metropolitan area of São Paulo. The caregivers of 122 children were interviewed regarding their perceptions and understanding about the measles vaccination and the disease. The results showed that age, region of residence, marital status and education level were unrelated to taking measles vaccines adequately. Most individuals remembered being informed about the last annual vaccination campaign by television, but no communication channel was significantly associated with vaccination status. The answers to questions about knowledge of the disease or the vaccine, when analyzed alone, were not associated with taking measles vaccinations at the time indicated by health agencies. The results showed that, when parents felt sorry for their children who were going to receive shots, they delayed the vaccination. Most of the children did not take the measles vaccination on the exactly recommended date, but delayed or anticipated the shots. It is clear that there is no compliance with the government's recommended measles vaccination schedule (i.e. first dose at nine and second at 15 months of age, as recommended in 1999 and 2000). Feeling sorry for the children receiving shots can delay vaccination taking.
Highlights
Why do children not get vaccinated?Many studies all over the world have investigated why people do not vaccinate their children.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] A review by Nigenda-Lópes covering 40 years showed a variety of reasons: cultural, such as “vaccinations are not important”; psychological, such as “vaccines are unsafe”; social or socioeconomic, such as parents’ educational, marital or economic status; structural, such as in relation to vaccine distribution; and transmission-related, i.e. failure to transmit enough information about the diseases and vaccines available.[3]
The results showed that age, region of residence, marital status and education level were unrelated to taking measles vaccines adequately
Most individuals remembered being informed about the last annual vaccination campaign by television, but no communication channel was significantly associated with vaccination status
Summary
Why do children not get vaccinated?Many studies all over the world have investigated why people do not vaccinate their children.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] A review by Nigenda-Lópes covering 40 years showed a variety of reasons: cultural, such as “vaccinations are not important”; psychological, such as “vaccines are unsafe”; social or socioeconomic, such as parents’ educational, marital or economic status; structural, such as in relation to vaccine distribution; and transmission-related, i.e. failure to transmit enough information about the diseases and vaccines available.[3]. Two different studies in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, have shown that mothers interviewed just before having their children vaccinated knew a great deal about the reactions caused by the shots (such as fever or rash) but virtually nothing about the diseases against which the vaccines protected. They had little notion of their own children’s vaccination status and could not understand terms written on the vaccination card.[9,10] Another study showed that the vaccination schemes of the children of more than half of the parents interviewed in a slum in São Paulo were incomplete. These parents considered their children’s vaccination schemes to be correct based on “information given by health staff ”.11
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
