title: Diphtheria immunization rates and the effect of several sociodemographic factors on immunization of children in eastern Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the aims of the World Health Organization is to eliminate diphtheria in all countries. Thus, it is important to achieve a high level of childhood immunization. The present study was performed to determine the level of child immunization against diphtheria and the effect of several sociodemographic factors on immunization of children aged 0-6 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the cluster-sampling method, 767 healthy children were selected at random from three provinces in eastern Turkey. Children were categorized as completely vaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, unvaccinated or vaccination status unknown. If the child had no immunization card, he/she was categorized as vaccination status unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 767 children, 72.3% were completely vaccinated, 18.3% were incompletely vaccinated and 5.7% were not vaccinated. Vaccination status was unknown for 3.7% of children. As the age of the children increased, the proportion of completely vaccinated children increased and the proportion of non-vaccinated and incompletely vaccinated children decreased. The vaccination rates increased in parallel with the education level of the parents. While the vaccination rate was significantly correlated with the socioeconomic level of the families, it was inversely correlated with sibling number.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study show that the immunization status necessary for the elimination of diphtheria has not yet been reached in eastern Turkey. In immunization programs for children in eastern Turkey, priority should be given to increasing primary immunization levels to 90-95% with three or more doses of diphtheria toxoid.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey. ademarik1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Arik
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adem
authors.forename: Inandi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tacettin
authors.forename: AltInkaynak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevin
authors.forename: Ertekin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vildan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid