Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Mothers in Reproductive Age Group About Childhood Immunization in Basra, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Childhood immunization preserves children from a variety of dangerous or potentially fatal diseases. World health organization (WHO) study has shown that 2.5 million deaths occurred yearly due to vaccine-preventable diseases, mainly in Asia and Africa among children under 5 years old. Vaccines nowadays protect against many diseases such as whooping cough, measles, and polio, which were the main causes of death for many children before them despite the same germs. In order to protect children from dangerous diseases as well as keep the community from outside diseases by decreasing the spread of diseases, immunization is a simple and effective way to do so. Aims: To assess the mother's knowledge, attitude, and practice concerning childhood vaccination. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study done in three PHCCs (primary health care centers) from the first sector in the center of Basrah city, for the period from 24th of April to 1st of September 2019 on 414 mothers who visit the PHCCs for vaccination of their children and having at least one child aged less than five years. The data were collected by the researcher by using face to face interview method. Result: The results showed that (52.2%) of participants aged between 20 to less than 30, most of them were housewives and more than half of participants have 2-4 children. The majority of the mothers had good knowledge about childhood immunization apart from knowing of immunization schedule, more than half of the participants (60.4%) received their knowledge about vaccines from doctors and nursing staff in PHCCs and (77.3%) believed that the BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin), hepatitis B or polio vaccines were the vaccines which should be given during the first week after delivery, nearly all of them (99.2%) agreed that the vaccines prevent diseases. Regarding the attitude and practice of the mothers (99.8%) recommend vaccines to every child, all of the mothers thought that compliance with the immunization schedule is important, and (94.2%) encourage mothers to vaccinate their children from campaigns. Nearly all participants fully immunized their children. Conclusion: Mothers had poor knowledge about immunization schedules. Nearly all of the mothers (99.8%) recommend the vaccine to every child. All of the participants thought that adherence to and completion of the immunization schedule are important. The majority of participants encourage vaccination campaigns. Nearly all of the mothers vaccinate their children completely. Recommendations: Explain to the mothers the importance of vaccines for children under five years and their role in the protection of children from serious diseases. Learn the mothers about the vaccines which is used in the immunization schedule.