Assessment of Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Immunization Status of Children in Age Group of 12-23 Months in a Rural Area.

Background: Immunization is a powerful and cost effective weapon against vaccine preventable diseases. In India ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization, (EPI) was launched in 1978. But today also immunization coverage in India is comparatively low and far from satisfaction. Objectives: 1. To assess immunization status of children in age group between 12-24 months. 2. To study the sociodemographic factors affecting immunization status. Method : 30*7 cluster sampling method was used to assess sociodemographic factors affecting immunization status of children in age group of 12-23 months in rural area of Beed district (Maharashtra) in India. Results : Out of total 210 children surveyed, 165 (78.57%) were fully immunized, 43(20.48%) were partially immunized and 2(0.95%) were unimmunized. Immunization status of child was found not to be associated with the gender and type of family of child. It was significantly associated with religion, place of birth and availability of immunization card. Immunization status of children went on significantly improving as their mother’s education level increased (p<0.05), but fathers education had no influence. Immunization status of children was found directly related to their socioeconomic class and inversely to birth order. The highest (86.25%) coverage for complete immunization was among the children having birth order II. Immunization status went on decreasing as birth order increased and was the lowest (50.00%) among those having birth order V. Conclusion : To improve immunization coverage in rural area improvement in female literacy and female education is necessary. Similarly improvement in socioeconomic status, limiting the family size and increasing hospital deliveries will lead to improvement in immunization coverage. Also parents should be encouraged to preserve immunization cards of their children as long as possible.

"Human immunodeficiency virus serostatus disclosure-Rate, reactions, and discrimination": A cross-sectional study at a rural tertiary care hospital.

Background: From the moment scientists identified Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), social responses of fear, denial, stigma, and discrimination have accompanied the epidemic. Aims: To assess the rate of disclosure of HIV serostatus, reactions by the HIV/AIDS patients and their spouse, and discrimination faced by the patients. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted at Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) center of a rural tertiary care hospital, situated in Marathawada region of Maharashtra state from November 2008 to October 2010. Totally, 801 HIV-positive patients coming to ART center for treatment were included after ensuring confidentiality and taking informed consent. A preformed questionnaire was used to enquire about reaction after diagnosis, disclosure, and discrimination faced by the patients. The data analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Results: The most common immediate reaction by the HIV patients after getting diagnosed as seropositive was fear (593, 74.03%) followed by depression (385, 48.06%) and suicidal thoughts (98, 12.25%). Out of 801 patients, 769 (96%) had spouse and of these maximum number of patients (653, 84.92%) had disclosed HIV status to their spouses. Most common immediate reaction by spouse after disclosure was crime (324, 42.13%) followed by horror (294, 38.23%) and anger (237, 36.29%). Maximum number of patients were discriminated by friends (120, 71.01%) followed by discrimination at workplace (49, 67.12%), by neighbors (32, 56.14%), and by relatives (53, 43.80%). Conclusion: Male positives were granted greater acceptance, care, and support by their spouses. More percentage of females discriminated by neighbors, relatives, and friends and at workplace which might be due to factors like customs, morals, and taboos.