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

ABSTRACT

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.