Influence Of Maternal Knowledge And Attitude Towards The Uptake Of Childhood Vaccination For Children Below One Year In Koboko Town Council - Uganda

Abstract

Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions in the constant effort of human beings against diseases that affect our wellbeing. Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, reluctance and unwillingness to vaccinate has been identified as one of the challenges. This could be based on misinformation and due to lack of trust. According to Ministry of Health Annual Health Development Report for Uganda, the rural vaccination percentage being 57% and there is medium knowledge about immunization The objective of the current study was to establish the influence of maternal knowledge and attitude towards uptake of childhood vaccination for babies below one year in Koboko Town Council - Uganda. A cross-sectional study design utilizing quantitative method, which was conducted among 377 caregivers of children below one year nursing students in in Koboko Town Council who were randomly, selected using systematic random sampling. The participants completed a structured questionnaire in English. Data was collected by administering pretested structured questionnaires by trained research Assistants. Data was single-entered and analyzed using statistical software version 22 for analysis. Frequency tables and graphs were used to describe the study variables. From the 377 participants, uptake of childhood vaccination was low at 50.9%. Uptake of childhood vaccination was high among children whose caregivers were prime gravida (OR: 4.526, 95% CI: 1.651-8.528, p-0.001), source of information being primary healthcare centre (OR: 2.561 95% CI: 1.170-4.762, p-0.000) and being aware of vaccines schedules for babies below one years (OR: 7.091, 95% CI: 3.667-16.891, p-0.019). While low uptake was report among caregivers who agreed that some of the information on vaccines is scary (OR: 0.197, 95% CI: 0.088-0.497, p-0.011) and culture does not allow child immunization (OR: 0.425, 95% CI: 0.126-0.771, p-0.007). Therefore, the study recommends that all health center and health personnel should pay more special attention to encourage and educate the parents about the values and benefits of the vaccination and vaccine preventable diseases and its consequences to children‘s health.