Practice of Childhood Immunization Among Mothers in Umueze, Osisiomangwa Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Childhood immunization is an effective public health initiative aimed at reducing the burden of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) and deaths among children, particularly under-fives. It averts an estimated 2.5 million deaths per year in all age groups from VPD. Childhood immunization is an act of inducing immunity to a child by applying a vaccine that almost guarantees protection from many major diseases.Objective: To determine the practice of childhood immunization among mothers in Umueze in OsisiomaNgwa Local Government Area of Abia State. Methods and Materials:A cross-sectional study performed in Umueze Community in OsisiomaNgwa Local Government Area in ABA, Abia State, Nigeria. Self/interviewer questionnaires were administered to 470 women for the study.Result: A total of 470 women selected by systematic sampling methods with non-response rate of 40 (8.0%). Mean age was 34 ± ,8.246. Three hundred and fifty (81.4%) believe that there was benefit of immunization as it prevented child from diseases, 340 (79.1%) believed that immunization was free, 330 (76.7%) believed that lack of centres was the cause of reduced child immunization, 350 (81.4%) started immunizing their children after birth, 138 (32.1%) mothers give their children all the immunization, while 278 (64.7%) women had good practice of immunization. The relationship between the sociodemographic variables and level of practice of immunization were statistically significant, marital status (95% Cl: 1.164 -541.451), odd ratio; -3.223, p = 0.04, Number of living children (95% Cl:2.025 -61.784), odd ratio; -2.415, p = 0.006. Conclusion:Childhood Immunization is an inevitable practice that every family should be involved in, and mothers should always see to the completion of their children's Immunization, in order to avert impending dangers which can result from it.