Risk factors for defaulting from childhood immunization in Asossa woreda, Benishangul Gumuz region, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Back ground: Children are defaulting from childhood immunization due to risk factors, low access to services, inadequate awareness of caregivers, missed opportunities and high dropout rates were recognized since the early years of EPI efforts. Epidemiological investigations of recent outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases have indicated that incomplete immunization was the major reason for the outbreaks. In Ethiopia, full immunization rate (EDHS, 2011) is low (24.3%) in children age 12-23 months. Objective: To identify risk factors for defaulting from childhood immunization in Assosa woreda, Benshangul Gumuz, Western Ethiopia. Method: unmatched case control study was conducted in eleven selected Kebeles of Assosa Woreda. Baseline survey was done to identify completed and defaulted children from childhood immunization, from which 282 children 12-23months of age (94 defaulted and 188 completed) were selected using SRS. Pre-tested structured questionnaire were used for data collection and analyzed by SPSS version 16. Bivariate and multivariate regressions were used for analysis. Result: Baseline survey identified 963 children in 12-23 months, 775(80.5%) and 180(18.7%) of them completed and defaulted from immunization respectively. The BCG: measles dropout rate of the sample 282 was 19.8%, the dropout rate of Penta-1: Penta-3 (both defaulted and completed) by card only was 7.8%, dropout rate among the defaulted children was 77.6%. Mother Postponing of immunization schedule [AOR = 5.61, 95%CI: 2.22, 14.16], no antenatal care visit [AOR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.05, 7.96], time inconvenient [AOR = 2.85, 95% CI: 1.05, 7.70], no provider counseling [AOR = 2.69, 95%CI: 1.21, 5.99], no knowledge about measles vaccine [AOR = 2.76, 95%CI: 1.18, 6.49], knowledge on schedule of vaccines [AOR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.11, 0.56] and negative Perception on satisfaction of immunization service [AOR = 16.69, 95% CI: 4.06, 68.55] were the important predictors of defaulting from immunization. Conclusion and recommendation: It is concluded that postponing of immunization schedule, no antenatal care visit, time inconvenient, no immunization counseling, no knowledge about measles vaccine, no knowledge about vaccine schedule & negative Perception on satisfaction of immunization service were found to be the most important predictors of defaulting from childhood immunization.Providing adequate IEC on immunization services.