title: Knowledge of mothers on poliomyelitis and other vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination status of children in pastoralist and semi-pastoralist areas of Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Awareness and service utilization are key to polio eradication.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assess the knowledge of mothers on polio and other vaccine preventable diseases, and utilization of immunization services in pastoralist and semi-pastoralist areas in Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross sectional study using a multistage cluster sampling method involving women who delivered during the previous one year was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 600 women were interviewed. Three hundred-and-five (50.8%) women said they knew what polio was. The time to initiate polio vaccination was correctly indicated to be at birth or within 2 weeks of birth by 224 (37.4%) women. Four hundred forty five (74.2%) women said they did not know how polio is transmitted Polio birth dose (Polio 0) and Polio 3 vaccine coverage were estimated at 32% and 37% respectively. Adjusting for other factors, knowledge of when polio vaccination starts was significantly associated with having a child vaccinated for Polio 3 (OR 95% CI = 3.45 (2.33- 5.11).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of mothers about polio is low and a little more than one third were aware of when the initial vaccine dose should be administered. Providing detailed information on polio and the recommended vaccination schedule can contribute to improve immunization and hasten polio eradication.
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Bezunesh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dinku
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Filimona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bisrat
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Yetnayet
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kebede
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Bethelehem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asegidew
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Mesganaw
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fantahun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines