ASSESENMENT OF IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN 12-23 MONTHS AGE IN LAY ARMACHEHO DESTRICT, NORTH GONDAR ZONE, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Introduction: Immunization coverage refers to information on the proportion of children who have received specific vaccine or are up to date with the recommended vaccines schedule. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess immunization coverage and associated factors in Lay Armacheho District, North Gondar zone, North West Ethiopia. Methods: A community based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from March 20-30/2014 among 751 pairs of mothers to children aged 12-23 months old in Lay Armacheho District. Two stage sampling techniques were employed. Bivarite and multivariate analysis was carried out to compute relevant association between factors and fully immunization status of children. All variables that were found to be significant at p value 0.2 in the bivarate analysis was entered in to multiple logistic regression model. Finally back ward stepwise regression method was used and those variables significant at p value 0.05 was considered statistical significance. Results: About 76% of the children were fully immunized based on vaccination card and mothers recall during the study period. About 85.5% of the children took OPV1 vaccine followed by BCG 81.4%.Dropout rate was 5.2% for BCG to measles, 2.7% for Penta1 to Penta3 and 4.5% for PCV1 to PCV3. The likelihood of children to be fully immunized among mothers who know the number of sessions needed for vaccination were higher than those who did not know [AOR=2.816(95%C1=1.898,4.178)]. Moreover, coverage of full immunization status of children were higher among mothers who know the age at which the child become fully immunized than who did not know. [AOR=2.934(95%CI=2.020, 4.262)]. Mothers who took TT immunization showed that there was statistically significant association with children full immunization [AOR 1.669(95% CI=1.061, 2.628)]. Urban children were more likely to be fully immunized than rural [AOR=1.824(95%CI=1.150, 2.895)] and Being male were more likely fully immunized than female [AOR=1.818(95%CI=1.267, 2.608)]. x Conclusion and Recommendation: Vaccination coverage was lower than the targets set by WHO and UNICEF. Hence, it is important to maintain and increase current vaccination level. Health development army should promote women awareness at household level on TT immunization, when the childe start vaccination, number of sessions needed, when children become fully immunized and rural residence should be supervised and monitored strictly in routine and supplement immunization activities.