Vaccination Status and Associated Factors among children age 12 – 23 months in Awash Fentale District, Afar Regional State, North Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Vaccination averts an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths every year caused by diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles, which accounts 29% from the total of under-five mortality. To the knowledge of the investigator, there was limited previous studies done on status of child vaccination in the district and similar settings hence the status is unknown. The study is to assess vaccination status and and factors affectng vaccine uptake among children age 12–23 months in Awash Fentale district, Afar Regional state, Ethiopia from October 10 up to June 20, 2018. The study was conducted in all mothers or caregiver of children aged between 12-23 months live in Awash Fentale district, community based quantitative cross section study was conducted with sample size of 408. Data entered to Epi data version 3.1, exported to SPSS for data analysis. To evaluate the associated factor Binary logistic regression was used each independent variable checked for association take CI of 95%, p-value of less than 0.05 as statistically significant. In this study Mothers Age range from 17 up to 50 years with SD of ±5.65, most of them are pastoral and Muslim followers, in addition to this 64.5% of mothers unable to read and write, 76.7% has ANC follow up during pregnancy of index child and also 28% travel less than 15 minute to reach health facility, 42.2% of mothers return back to home without getting vaccine, beside this children between age of 12 up to 23 months 19% were fully vaccinated, 26% unvaccinated and 55% partially vaccinated, which is low compared to national comprehensive multiyear plan which is to be 94% set to achieve by the year 2018.Children default after starting pentavalent vaccine were 30% and also 48% default before reaching measles vaccination. Husband educational status, waiting time to get vaccine, traveling time to reach health facility, knowledge about vaccination and possession of vaccination card were the most independent predominate factors for child fully vaccination. Therefore Health workers should educate five nationally recommended key messages, District health office should Strength usage of defaulter tracer card and conducting outreach activity to find defaulters, Involve husband during health education and health center visit with mothers.