study of infants defaulters in immunization against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough

ABSTRACT

The live births of infants born in El-Moski District whose birth dates were in August, September and October 1981 were followed up from the fourth month of age to know the number of vaccinated infants and the causes behind defaulting vaccination. Also to test the different methods of calling the defaulters. 325 infants were followed up, 73.75% have attended the three doses of vaccination. The vaccinated infants [230 infants] were studied as a control group to the defaulters [59 infants] as regards the different variable of the study. The results showed a statistical significant difference between the vaccinated groups and the defaulters regarding the father's occupation, the maternal education level and the first three order of birth of infant. While the sex of infant, age of parents, employment of mothers and paternal education proved to have no statistical significant difference. The results showed that the infants who attended the first dose of DPT and OPV were more liable to attend the second and the third doses than the defaulters of the first dose, the difference was statistically significant. Analysis of the cause of defaulting showed 58.95% were medical causes and 41.05% were socio-psychological causes. The main medical causes were gastroenteritis [30.36%], upper respiratory tract infection [28.57%] and acute bronchitis with gastroenteritis [21.42%] which was not different from the general pattern of infant morbidity in Egypt. For the socio-psychological causes, it was found that, change of residence comprises 35.90%. Half of this group changed their residence due to demotion of their hours which stresses the importance of housing problems as a course of defaulting in this area. The other important socio-psychologlcal causes were negligence [25.64%] and travel [20.51%]. Half the travelling groups of infants, traveled to Arab countries with their families. Testing the different methods of calling showed that, although calling by letters had 32.44% responses. Yet the best method of calling was the house visits [51.35% responses] and the difference was statistically significant. It showed also that association of the home visits with letters had no difference in response