A Survey on Attitude of Mothers towards Immunization of Their Children

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue XII, December 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

A Survey on Attitude of Mothers towards Immunization of Their Children

Danjuma, Habiba¹ and Gowon David²

^1,2Department of Statistics, Federal Polytechnic Bali, PMB 05 Bali, Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract: – Immunization programme has had a major impact on the health status of the world population, by preventing many cases of infectious disease through immunization. Efficient vaccine storage and handling is a key component of immunization programme. It is a shared responsibility from the time the vaccine is manufactured until it is administered. Thousands of children were dying and some are disable as a result of some common diseases which are measles, polio, tetanus, whooping cough, tuberculosis etc, hence, there is need to sensitize the parents towards the immunization of their children. This study therefore designed to investigate the attitudes of mothers towards immunization of their children in the North Eastern region of Nigeria. Questionnaires and face to interview were carried out on women in some local government areas from states in the North East to elicit relevant information regarding their general attitudes to child’s vaccination. The following factor shall be considered mother’s locality, place of vaccination, mother’s educational status, age at vaccination, spouse’s educational status, mothers’ religious believes, mothers’ age group, child’s age at birth among others. Results from analyses showed that mothers locality, place of vaccination, mothers educational status, age at vaccination, spouses educational status, mothers’ religious believes as well as mothers’ age group, child’s age at birth are all positively associated with attitudes of mothers towards vaccination. Further results finally revealed that donation of gift items to mothers serves as positive inducement towards improving the attitudes of mothers towards immunization of their children. This research work is recommended for a public enlightenment that to educate Nigerian women cum populace on importance of immunization as this work will generate information concerning the relationships between the attitude of mothers and immunization of children.

Keywords: Immunisation, attitude of mother, factors

I. INTRODUCTION

Immunization is one of the most essential public health interventions and cost effective strategy to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality. It is estimated to prevent between 2 and 3 million deaths each year (WHO, 2012). Despite this fact, vaccine-preventable diseases remain the most common cause of childhood mortality with an estimated three million deaths each year (Olugbenga et al, 2017). Childhood immunization is the initiation of immunity through application of vaccine (WHO, 2008).

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