Immunization status of children 1-5 years old seen at the Emergency Pediatric Unit of a Teaching Hospital in North-Central Nigeria

Esther S Yiltok; Jonathan C Daboer; Edward M Dachalson; Mathilda E Banwat; Augustine O Ebonyi; Helen O Akhiwu; David D Shwe; Tolulope O Afolaranmi

doi:10.18683/germs.2022.1307

Immunization status of children 1-5 years old seen at the Emergency Pediatric Unit of a Teaching Hospital in North-Central Nigeria

Germs. 2022 Mar 31;12(1):63-74. doi: 10.18683/germs.2022.1307. eCollection 2022 Mar.

Authors

Esther S Yiltok¹, Jonathan C Daboer², Edward M Dachalson³, Mathilda E Banwat⁴, Augustine O Ebonyi¹, Helen O Akhiwu⁵, David D Shwe⁶, Tolulope O Afolaranmi⁷

Affiliations

¹ 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.
² 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.
³ BSc, MSc, MPH, PhD, Department of General and Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, P.M.B. 2084, Jos, Plateau State 930001, Nigeria.
⁴ MBBS, MSc-IM, PhD, FMCPH, FWACP, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos & Department of Community Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, P.M.B. 2076, Jos, Plateau State 930001, Nigeria.
⁵ MBBS, MSc, FMCPaed, Department of Paediatrics, Jos University Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 2076, Jos, Plateau State 930001, Nigeria.
⁶ MBBS, MSc, FMCPaed, 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.
⁷ MBBS, MSc, FMCPH, FWACP, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos & Department of Community Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, P.M.B. 2076, Jos, Plateau State 930001, Nigeria.

Abstract

Introduction: 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).

Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted from 1^st October to 30^th 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusions: 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.

Keywords: Caregivers/mothers; children 1-5 years; immunization status; predictors; vaccines.

GERMS.