title: An evaluation of community perspectives and contributing factors to missed children during an oral polio vaccination campaign--Katsina State, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unvaccinated children contribute to accumulation of susceptible persons and the continued transmission of wild poliovirus in Nigeria. In September 2012, the Expert Review Committee (ERC) on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization in Nigeria recommended that social research be conducted to better understand why children are missed during supplementary immunization activities (SIAs), also known as "immunization plus days (IPDs)" in Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immediately following the SIA in October 2012, polio eradication partners and the government of Nigeria conducted a study to assess why children are missed. We used semistructured questionnaires and focus group discussions in 1 rural and 1 urban local government area (LGA) of Katsina State.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported that 61% of the children were not vaccinated because of poor vaccination team performance: either the teams did not visit the homes (25%) or the children were reported absent and not revisited (36%). This lack of access to vaccine was more frequently reported by respondents from scattered/nomadic communities (85%). In 1 out of 4 respondents (25%), refusal was the main reason their child was not vaccinated. The majority of respondents reported they would have consented to their children being vaccinated if the vaccine had been offered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor vaccination team performance is a major contributor to missed children during IPD campaigns. Addressing such operational deficiencies will help close the polio immunity gap and eradicate polio from Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.affiliation: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Samra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashenafi
authors.affiliation: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Ikechukwu U
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Ogbuanu
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
authors.forename: Chima
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohuabunwo
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
authors.forename: Adamu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sule
authors.affiliation: United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria Country Office.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corkum
authors.affiliation: United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria Country Office.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.affiliation: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Aaron D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Storms
authors.affiliation: United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria Country Office.
authors.forename: Panchanan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Achari
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
authors.forename: Oladayo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Biya
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nguku
authors.affiliation: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Newberry
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria Country Office World Health Organization (WHO), Katsina State Office, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ado
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bwaka
authors.affiliation: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mahoney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines
keywords: OPV; missed children; non-compliance; oral polio vaccine; vaccine coverage