Socio-demographic determinants of childhood immunization incompletion in Koforidua, Ghana.

OBJECTIVE

Immunization saves more than 3 million lives worldwide each year, and it saves millions from suffering illness and lifelong disability. The study sought to assess the socio-demographic factors that influence childhood immunization incompletion. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed for the study conducted at the Child Welfare Clinic in the Regional Hospital, Koforidua. A total of 280 caregivers/mothers who have children aged between 0 and 59 months were included in this study. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS.

RESULTS

The study found that being divorced (p = 0.048) and working part-time (p = 0.049) has a significant and positive association with immunization incompletion. Women who were divorced [AOR (95% CI) 3.01 (1.59-58.2)] were 3 times less likely to complete immunization than those who were cohabiting, married and widowed taken into account the effect due to all the additional confounder variables included in the analysis. Women who were working part-time were 2.28 times less likely to complete immunization schedule than those working full-time; [AOR (95% CI) 2.28 (1.031-9.11)]. This study has documented socio-demographic factors influencing childhood immunization incompletion in the Regional Hospital, Koforidua. The Ministry of Health should, therefore, put in measures like public education to encourage mothers to complete each immunization schedule.