Abstract:
Background: More children in Ethiopia start and do not complete all vaccinations in the Expanded
Program of Immunization (EPI) recommended for Routine Immunization (RI) vaccines than those
who complete their vaccine schedule. This group of defaulter is bigger than the group that has no
vaccines. However, both groups of children that have no vaccines and those that have partial
vaccination are in similar risk of acquiring vaccine preventable diseases.
Objective: This study aimed to assess demographic, socio-economic, environmental and health
service factors affecting childhood vaccination incompletion. It also attempted to determine the
extent of incomplete vaccination within and between regions in Ethiopia based on EDHS 2011 data.
Methods: This study used data about 6,797 children aged 12 to 59 months (mean age of 36 months
and standard deviation 13.66 months). Among these children 33.76% were completely immunized
while 66.24% were partially vaccinated. Descriptive data analysis, binary logistic, and multilevel
logistic regression were employed to analyze the data.
Results: The study identified region, wealth index, sex of household head, birth order of a child,
awareness about leading a balanced family life, frequency of a mother listening to radio, and prenatal
care and assistance from health professionals were statistically significant predictors of being
partially immunized. Differences in levels of partial immunization prevailed across regions of the
country.
Conclusion: Vaccination incompletion was low in children from families with higher wealth
quintiles. The likelihood of children being partially vaccinated was significantly associated with
mothers’ health care utilization. Exposure to radio programs about vaccination contributed
positively to a reduction in partial immunization. A very high number of children from female
headed families did not complete vaccination.
Key words: expanded program of immunization, logistic regressions, vaccination.
