Siddiqui Meha, Bajwa Naila, Junaid Khunsa, Awais Muhammad, Amin Ayesha, Haleem Isma, Rasool Sikander H, Afzal Saira
Community Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, PAK.
Community Medicine, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore, PAK.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 9;16(7):e64123. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64123. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Background Childhood immunization programs in underdeveloped nations can improve children's growth and nutritional status and prevent growth delays while protecting against infectious diseases and meeting growth norms. This study aimed to assess the impact of vaccination status on the anthropometric indices of children aged 12-18 months at an Expanded Programme on Immunization vaccination center and compare the anthropometric indices of growth in children with complete and incomplete vaccination statuses. Methodology This study was conducted at the rural health center in Kala Shah Kaku, Pakistan, from November 2023 to December 2023. Children aged 12-18 months were enrolled and their vaccination status was recorded. Height and weight were measured using World Health Organization growth charts. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The mean age of the 110 children who visited the vaccination site for this study was 16.36 months ± 2.415. There were 28 (25.5%) stunted children. In the study, 17.6 (16%) participants were underweight, and 15.95 (14.5%) were wasted. Of the children, 79% had received all recommended vaccinations. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) association was found between vaccination and nutritional status. Conclusions This study emphasizes the significance of vaccination in promoting child health and nutrition, reducing stunting risk, and ensuring equitable access to vaccination services and comprehensive healthcare interventions. This can help mitigate the malnutrition burden and promote optimal growth, contributing to global health and development goals.
背景 在欠发达国家，儿童免疫规划可以改善儿童的生长和营养状况，预防生长发育迟缓，同时预防传染病并达到生长标准。本研究旨在评估免疫规划疫苗接种中心12至18个月大儿童的疫苗接种状况对人体测量指标的影响，并比较完全接种和未完全接种儿童的生长人体测量指标。方法 本研究于2023年11月至2023年12月在巴基斯坦卡拉沙卡库的农村卫生中心进行。纳入12至18个月大的儿童并记录其疫苗接种状况。使用世界卫生组织生长图表测量身高和体重。数据采用描述性统计以及卡方检验和费舍尔精确检验进行分析。p值<0.05被认为具有统计学意义。结果 参与本研究前往疫苗接种点的110名儿童的平均年龄为16.36个月±2.415。有28名（25.5%）发育迟缓儿童。在研究中，17.6名（16%）参与者体重不足，15.95名（14.5%）消瘦。这些儿童中，79%接种了所有推荐疫苗。发现疫苗接种与营养状况之间存在统计学显著关联（p<0.05）。结论 本研究强调了疫苗接种在促进儿童健康和营养、降低发育迟缓风险以及确保公平获得疫苗接种服务和全面医疗保健干预方面的重要性。这有助于减轻营养不良负担并促进最佳生长，为全球健康和发展目标做出贡献。
