Abstract:
Introduction: Immunization coverage refers to information on the proportion of children
who have received specific vaccine or are up to date with the recommended vaccines
schedule.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess immunization coverage and
associated factors in Lay Armacheho District, North Gondar zone, North West Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from
March 20-30/2014 among 751 pairs of mothers to children aged 12-23 months old in
Lay Armacheho District. Two stage sampling techniques were employed. Bivarite and
multivariate analysis was carried out to compute relevant association between factors
and fully immunization status of children. All variables that were found to be significant
at p value 0.2 in the bivarate analysis was entered in to multiple logistic regression
model. Finally back ward stepwise regression method was used and those variables
significant at p value 0.05 was considered statistical significance.
Results: About 76% of the children were fully immunized based on vaccination card
and mothers recall during the study period. About 85.5% of the children took OPV1
vaccine followed by BCG 81.4%.Dropout rate was 5.2% for BCG to measles, 2.7% for
Penta1 to Penta3 and 4.5% for PCV1 to PCV3.
The likelihood of children to be fully immunized among mothers who know the number
of sessions needed for vaccination were higher than those who did not know
[AOR=2.816(95%C1=1.898,4.178)]. Moreover, coverage of full immunization status of
children were higher among mothers who know the age at which the child become fully
immunized than who did not know. [AOR=2.934(95%CI=2.020, 4.262)]. Mothers who
took TT immunization showed that there was statistically significant association with
children full immunization [AOR 1.669(95% CI=1.061, 2.628)]. Urban children were
more likely to be fully immunized than rural [AOR=1.824(95%CI=1.150, 2.895)] and
Being male were more likely fully immunized than female [AOR=1.818(95%CI=1.267,
2.608)].
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Conclusion and Recommendation: Vaccination coverage was lower than the targets
set by WHO and UNICEF. Hence, it is important to maintain and increase current
vaccination level. Health development army should promote women awareness at
household level on TT immunization, when the childe start vaccination, number of
sessions needed, when children become fully immunized and rural residence should be
supervised and monitored strictly in routine and supplement immunization activities.
