Community vaccine perceptions and its role on vaccination uptake among children aged 12-23 months in the Ileje District, Tanzania: a cross section study.
BACKGROUND
Underutilization of vaccines still remains a challenge in many regions across the world. Ileje district is one of the districts in Tanzania with consistently low pentavalent vaccine uptake (69%) and with drop out of 15%. We determined the vaccination completion with regard to Oral Polio virus, Measles, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, and pentavalent vaccines and its association with community perceptions on vaccines.


METHODS
We conducted a cross sectional study in Ileje district from October to December 2013. We sampled 380 mothers using a multistage random sampling technique. We analysed data using EPI INFO. We summarized descriptive variables using mean and standard deviation and categorical variables using proportions. We conducted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify factors influencing vaccination uptake, statistical significance was assessed at 95% confidence interval.


RESULTS
Mean age of the mothers was 27 years (SD 6.5 years) while that of their children was 16 months (SD 3.6 months). Fully vaccinated children were 71.1% and partially vaccinated were 28.9%, 99.2% were vaccinated with BCG vaccine and 73.4% were vaccinated with all OPV vaccine. Predictors of vaccination completion included negative perception on the vaccine provider-client relationship (AOR 1.86, 95%CI1.03-3.35), Perceived satisfaction with vaccination services (AOR 2.63, 95%CI 1.1 - 6.3). Others include child being born in the health facility (AOR 13.8 95% CI 8.04-25.8) and younger age of a child (AOR 0.51, 95%CI 0.29-0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Improving quality of vaccination services, promoting health education and sensitizing community on health facility delivery will improve child vaccination completion in the district.
Tanzania Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Pai Elia
PE
Chambongo
50 Haile Sellasie Street Asokoro,Abuja, Nigeria.
Patrick
P
Nguku
African Field Epidemiology Network,Kampala, Uganda.
Peter
P
Wasswa
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Social Sciences, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences,Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Innocent
I
Semali
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D013636:Tanzania; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
D014765:Viral Vaccines
Ileje; Vaccination uptake; perception