Project Materials

ANALYSIS ON THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE REGARDING IMMUNIZATION OF UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN AMONG MOTHERS ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC (ANC)

ABSTRACT

Immunisation remains one of the most essential public health interventions, as well as a cost-effective technique for reducing morbidity and mortality from infectious illnesses. Every year, immunisation prevents more than two million deaths around the world. The current study sought to analyse the knowledge and attitude of women attending antenatal clinics at Madonna University Teaching Hospital (MUTH) in Nigeria towards children immunisation. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 274 mothers attending prenatal clinics in MUTH from April to June 2009. Almost all (93.8%) of the respondents were aware of immunisation, and 98.1% believed that immunisation may prevent childhood illnesses. However, some respondents (28.8%) believed immunisation would make their children great. While 45.5% of respondents believed that polio vaccines should be administered five (5) times, just 8.6% knew that they should be administered four (4) times. There were significant (P<0.05) connections between respondents’ age, ethnicity, degree of education, occupation, and attitude towards immunisation. However, there was no significant (P>0.05) link between religion and attitudes towards immunisation. Although the majority of mothers were aware of the presence of immunisation facilities, they had limited awareness about vaccine preventable diseases’ immunisation schedules. A greater understanding of the routine immunisation schedule is critical in the design and implementation of immunisation programs. It is advised that moms learn about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as improve their performance.