title: Factors Associated with Missed Immunization Opportunities in Abakaliki, South-Eastern Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determined the extent and sociodemographic factors associated with missed opportunities to NPI-scheduled childhood immunizations Methods: The exit interview method of the World Health Organization was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 41.6% of the children were fully immunized. Missed opportunities for immunization occurred in 277 (55.4%) children and were responsible for 94.9% of the non-fully immunized children. The most common reason for missed opportunities in this study was the unavailability of vaccines (78.3%). Missed opportunities occurred more in the age group of 0-11 months (92.4%) compared to those aged 12-23 months (7.6%), P<0.05. The social class of the parents was statistically significant in predicting the likelihood of missed opportunities in this study (P< 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Missed opportunities to immunization (MO) remained high in EBSUTH, Abakaliki because immunization is conducted once a week in the preventive department only.MO is more common among children whose parents were in the lower social class.
authors.affiliation: Department Of Paediatrics, University Of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ibekwe
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Ibekwe
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ibe