title: Maternal Education and Immunization Status Among Children in Kenya.
abstract: Child morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases continues to be a major threat and public health concern worldwide. Although global vaccination coverage reached 90 % for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) across 129 countries, Kenya and other sub-Saharan countries continue to experience under-vaccination. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between maternal education and child immunization (12-23 months) in Kenya. This study used retrospective cross-sectional data from the 2008-2009 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey for women aged 15-49, who had children aged 12-23 months, and who answered questions about vaccination in the survey (n = 1,707). The majority of the children had received vaccinations, with 77 % for poliomyelitis, 74 % for measles, 94 % for tuberculosis, and 91 % for diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis), and tetanus. After adjusting for other covariates, women with primary, secondary, and college/university education were between 2.21 (p < 0.01) and 9.10 (p < 0.001) times more likely to immunize their children than those who had less than a primary education. Maternal education is clearly crucial in ensuring good health outcomes among children, and integrating immunization knowledge with maternal and child health services is imperative. More research is needed to identify factors influencing immunization decisions among less-educated women in Kenya.
authors: Division of Nursing, Winston-Salem State University, 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27110, USA, oonsomu@gmail.com.
authors: Elijah O
authors: EO
authors: Onsomu
authors: Benta A
authors: BA
authors: Abuya
authors: Irene N
authors: IN
authors: Okech
authors: DaKysha
authors: D
authors: Moore
authors: Janice
authors: J
authors: Collins-McNeil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D007630:Kenya; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
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