RESUMO
PIP: The factors associated with neonatal tetanus occurrence were rank ordered in a survey of 1867 children from a community in Nigeria with a previously documented high prevalence of this infection. The study, restricted to children born in 1992, 1993, and 1994, was conducted in the first 2 weeks of 1995. There were 28 cases of neonatal tetanus, for a rate of 15/1000 live births. Although cases and controls lived under similar social and environmental circumstances, three factors emerged as significant risk factors for neonatal tetanus: 1) lack of maternal education to the secondary level, 2) lack of antenatal care, and 3) delivery in a nonmedical establishment. Moreover, these three factors were linked. Mothers educated beyond the primary school level were more likely to understand the importance of antenatal care and to receive tetanus toxoid vaccination; if they received antenatal care, they were more likely to deliver in a medical establishment. Thus, eradication of illiteracy among women in Nigeria represents a priority in the effort to prevent neonatal tetanus.^ieng
Assuntos
Tétano/epidemiologia , Adulto , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Distribuição de Qui-Quadrado , Intervalos de Confiança , Parto Obstétrico/normas , Escolaridade , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Nigéria/epidemiologia , Vigilância da População , Gravidez , Cuidado Pré-Natal , Fatores de Risco , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Organização Mundial da SaúdeRESUMO
A community-based study carried out in the Rivers State of Nigeria on tetanus toxoid immunization status of parturient women showed a complete, partial and no coverage status of 41.2, 17.0 and 41.8 per cent respectively of women surveyed. Formal education to the secondary school level was very strongly associated with complete coverage status (p < 0.001). Also of importance was the peculiar geographical terrain of the state since the place of obstacles as a negative factor was significantly more pronounced among the riverine community (p < 0.001). Generally, communities in the state will require more logistics support than elsewhere in the country for any intervention measure to have an appreciable impact and on the long term the institution of measures aimed at raising the literacy level of the population as a whole will bring about overall improvement in the vaccine coverage in the state.
