IMMUNIZATION STATUS AMONG UNDER 5 CHILDREN – OBSERVATIONAL STUDY IN A TERTIARY HEALTH CARE CENTER.

Abstract

Background:Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions to prevent the transmission of vaccine preventable disease and decrease childhood morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE : 1. To estimate the immunisation status among under 5 children. 2. To identify the prevalence of vaccine hesitant parents using Parental Attitudes towards Childhood Vaccinations (PACV) survey and analyse the demographic factors associated with vaccine hesitant parents. Methods and Analysis: Across sectional observational study was carried out in children aged 1 to 5 years attending Outpatient department (OPD) and Inpatient department (IPD) at RLJalappa Hospital , Kolar from May 2021 to July 2021. Data was collected by direct interview of parents by the primary investigator and review of medical records using internally validated pre designed questionnaire. Descriptive Data was analyzed for percentages and qualitative variables were tested using Fischer exact test. Results : Out of 200 cases, 85.5% of the cases were fully immunized, 14.5% of the cases were dropouts. Rate of vaccine hesitancy were 56% and 89% among fully immunized and dropout children. Overall vaccine hesitancy is 61%. Conclusion : 61% of parents were found to be vaccine hesitant using PACV15 scale. Vaccine hesitancy is high among dropouts (89%). Majority of Vaccine hesitancy was seen among mothers who are low educational qualications, unskilled laborers, poor socioeconomic status, female child, rst order child. Hence, focus on education of these high risk groups will help in improving the immunization status.