Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 6(6), pp. 307 - 312
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2018.060601
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Immunization of Children: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Care-givers

Habiba Jiri-Musa ^1,*, Gidado Abubakar Auta ², Bobga Bala Ishaya ³, Arziki Simeon Zoaka ⁴, Lumsami Shadrach ^5
1 Primary Health Care Center, Premiere Urgence Internationale, Maiduguri, Nigeria
² Department of Radiology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
³ Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Garkida, Nigeria
⁴ Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Nigeria
⁵ Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Vaccine preventable diseases are the commonest cause of mortality in children under five years of age. Therefore, immunizing a child significantly reduces cost of treating diseases and subsequently provides a healthy childhood. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of caregivers to immunization of children under five years of age. This study was conducted over a period of four weeks with four hundred interviewer-based questionnaires given to our respondents, in a College Hospital at the North Eastern region of Nigeria. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out using convenience sampling method. The data obtained was analyzed using Epi info software. The result of the study showed that 63% of children were fully immunized while 27% were either partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all. It also showed that 72.9% of children delivered in the hospital were fully vaccinated as against the 35.2% of children who were delivered at home. A major concern that affects vaccination practices is the requirement for good storage and transportation of vaccines. Implementation of policies that will encourage both hospital delivery and strict adherence to the immunization schedule is an important step towards achieving adequate immunization.

KEYWORDS
Care-givers, Children, Immunization, Maiduguri, Under-five, Vaccination

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Habiba Jiri-Musa , Gidado Abubakar Auta , Bobga Bala Ishaya , Arziki Simeon Zoaka , Lumsami Shadrach , "Immunization of Children: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Care-givers," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 6, No. 6, pp. 307 - 312, 2018. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2018.060601.

(b). APA Format:
Habiba Jiri-Musa , Gidado Abubakar Auta , Bobga Bala Ishaya , Arziki Simeon Zoaka , Lumsami Shadrach (2018). Immunization of Children: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Care-givers. Universal Journal of Public Health, 6(6), 307 - 312. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2018.060601.