VACCINATION STATUS OF CHILDREN IN UMUEBLE COMMUNITY IN RIVERS STATE, SOUTHERN NIGERIA AND FACTORS INFLUENCING IT

Abstract

Background; Vaccination is one of the most important cost effective interventions of ourtime, it has saved millions of lives of under-five children globally and brought about areduction in the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases all over the world butespecially in sub-Saharan Africa and also in Nigeria. Despite all of these, vaccination ofchildren has remained low especially amongst the children that need it most. Aim; Theaim of this study was to determine the vaccination status of children at Umuebelecommunity and factors influencing it. Methods; This was a descriptive community-based study carried out over a period of two months June-July 2019. Data was collectedusing a structured interviewer administered questionnaire which was designed byresearchers, consisting of three sections. Information obtained included socio-demographic characteristics, vaccination status and characteristics, reasons for notcompleting immunisation, place of immunisation Results; There were 438 respondents,mean age 31.96 ±5.626, most were aged 26-30years 150(34.2%), 437(99.8%) of therespondents were married, only 1(.2%) had no formal education, while 340(77.6%) werefarmers. 270(61.6%) of the children were fully vaccinated. Twenty (4.6%) of the childrenwere not vaccinated at all. 391 (89.3%) of the children received their vaccination at thehealth center. 8(1.8%) of the respondents did not own a vaccination card while BCG scarcould not be sighted in 73(16.7%) of the children. Twenty (11.9%) of the respondents didnot vaccinate their wards because they forbid vaccination, with PCV3 being the leastreceived vaccine 66.9% and BCG was the most received 93.8%. There was a statisticallysignificant relationship between vaccination status and respondents age, education andplace of vaccination P=.000,.001 and .000 respectively while sex of the children andmarital status did not significantly affect vaccination status P=.447 and P= .375respectively In conclusions, vaccination status of children at umuebele community is stilllow, improving universal primary education, and support routine vaccination at theprimary health care centers would impact positively on vaccination status and reducemortality and morbidity from vaccine preventable diseases.Keywords: Vaccination status, children, community, immunisation