Yiltok Esther S, Daboer Jonathan C, Dachalson Edward M, Banwat Mathilda E, Ebonyi Augustine O, Akhiwu Helen O, Shwe David D, Afolaranmi Tolulope O
MBBS, MSc, FWACP, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos & Department of Paediatrics, Jos University Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 2076, Jos, Plateau State 930001, Nigeria.
MBBS, MSc, FMCPH, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos & Department of Community Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 2076, Jos, Plateau State, 930001, Jos, Nigeria.
Germs. 2022 Mar 31;12(1):63-74. doi: 10.18683/germs.2022.1307. eCollection 2022 Mar.
Advocacy for immunization has been ongoing in various parts of the world to improve immunization uptake amongst children. Annually within the last decade, immunization has been reported to avert over two million deaths globally. This study determined the current immunization status of children 1-5 years of age, the factors affecting immunization uptake and recommends ways of improving immunization uptake among children presenting at an Emergency Pediatric Unit (EPU).
This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted from 1 October to 30 November 2019. All eligible children aged 1-5 years old seen within the study period whose mothers/caregivers consented to participate in the study were recruited in the EPU of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Plateau State, Nigeria. A systematic sampling technique was employed in the selection of caregiver/mother-child pair while data were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.
A total of 191 (76.4%) children were fully immunized for age. Distance to the health facility, experience of vaccine side effects and health workers' attitude were significantly associated with immunization status. Distance to health facility was an independent predictor of complete immunization while short messaging service (SMS) was the most preferred 190 (76.0%) way suggested to improve immunization uptake.
This study has brought to light a suboptimal level of full immunization status for age, which can be improved by targeting homegrown interventions at improving accessibility to the facility and addressing adverse events following immunization promptly.
世界各地一直在倡导免疫接种，以提高儿童的免疫接种率。在过去十年中，每年都有报告称免疫接种在全球避免了超过200万例死亡。本研究确定了1至5岁儿童的当前免疫接种状况、影响免疫接种率的因素，并提出了提高在急诊儿科病房（EPU）就诊儿童免疫接种率的方法。
这是一项于2019年10月1日至11月30日进行的前瞻性横断面研究。在尼日利亚高原州乔斯大学教学医院（JUTH）的急诊儿科病房，招募了研究期间内所有年龄在1至5岁、其母亲/照顾者同意参与研究的符合条件的儿童。在选择照顾者/母婴对时采用了系统抽样技术，同时使用访谈式问卷获取数据。
共有191名（76.4%）儿童按年龄完成了全程免疫接种。到医疗机构的距离、疫苗副作用经历和医护人员的态度与免疫接种状况显著相关。到医疗机构的距离是全程免疫接种的独立预测因素，而短信服务（SMS）是建议提高免疫接种率的最受欢迎的方式（190人，占76.0%）。
本研究揭示了按年龄计算的全程免疫接种率处于次优水平，通过针对本土干预措施来改善获得医疗机构服务的便利性并及时处理免疫接种后的不良事件，可以提高这一水平。
