Factors Influencing Completion Of The Immunization Schedule Of Children Below 2 Years In Madu Community Gomba District

Abstract

Background: Low levels of immunization as a result of failure to complete the immunization schedule, results into a high risk of death from vaccine preventable diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of immunization completion and factors influencing completion of the immunization schedule of children below 2 years in Madu community Gomba district from March to May 2018.

Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in three villages of Kyamabaale, Kyamuyiisa and Kayunga in Madu community, Madu Sub County in Gomba District among parents or guardians/ caretakers of children less than 2 years of age. Simple random sampling was used to select the 380 participants. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and a 0.05 significance level was considered.

Results: 380 invited participants fully completed the survey. There was a significantly low level of immunization completion of 44.5% in the study setting. Correlates to immunization completion are multi-factorial, at bivariate analysis, immunization completion was correlated with Socio-demographic factors including; age of the care taker, marital status, age of the child, sex of the child, place of delivery of current child, and number of children were statistically associated with completion of immunization; knowledge of: what immunization is , right age of completing and starting immunization, issing one or more of the scheduled immunization schedules was also significantly correlated to immunization completion, individual attitude towards immunization, completion of immunization was significantly correlated with experience of side effects following immunization; Health related characteristics such as receiving health education talks during visits to health facility. The independent predictors of immunization completion after multivariate analysis included: individual awareness of the time of starting and ending immunization.

Conclusion: despite routine efforts to increase immunization coverage such as family health days, immunization completion remains low in Gomba, Uganda. Correlates to immunization completion are multi factorial; interventions aiming at increasing immunization completion in Gomba district, Uganda are needed. These should consider creating awareness and community participation in immunization campaigns.