EVALUATION OF THE IMMUNIZATION STATUS OF CHILDREN IN A RURAL SUBURB OF ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Poor immunization coverage especially in rural areas has led to a high burden of vaccine preventable diseases in children. The study was to evaluate the immunization status of children in a rural suburb of Anambra State. The total population for the study is 200 staff of health center Awka, Anambra State. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up managers, human resource managers, senior staff and junior staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Immunization is one of the most essential public health interventions and cost effective strategy to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality. Complete vaccination of each and every child is the current need to reduce mortality and morbidity of under five in Anambra State. Since the program of immunization on the whole was not found satisfactory in some of the states including Anambra State and until now no study was done to evaluate immunization status of children in rural area of Anambra State. Vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) such as Measles, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis, Pertussis, Diphteria, Yellow fever and Hepatitis B contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality among children less than five years in developing countries. It is estimated that about 2 million deaths occur globally each year from VPDs with approximately 1.5 million occurring in children under five years of age and constituting 15% of under five deaths. In Nigeria, they account for 22% and 17% of under five mortality and morbidity respectively. The World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s’ Fund (UNICEF), and National Program on Immunization (NPI) guidelines stipulate that a child should receive four doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), three doses of Hepatitis B Vaccine, three doses of Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DPT) vaccine and one dose each of Bacille Calmette  Guerin (BCG), measles and yellow fever vaccines. Routine immunization with these vaccines is a cost effective way of reducing childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The prevention of these diseases in one child also has a positive ripple effect on the population as the immunized child will not transmit the disease to another child (herd immunity). In 2008, the World Health Organization estimated that 1.5 million of deaths among children under five years were due to diseases that could have been prevented by routine vaccination, representing 17% of global total mortality in children under 5 years of age. In the United States immunization has reduced the incidence of childhood vaccine preventable diseases by 98 – 100%. The effective control of vaccine preventable diseases depend on the extent of immunization coverage achieved hence the estimation of the success of routine immunization by assessing the coverage rate. In Nigeria, the findings of the National Demographic Health Survey along with UNICEF showed a decline in the immunization coverage between 1990 and 1999 from about 30% to 17% and a further gradual decline to 13% in 2003. The reasons adduced for this included poor coordination and planning, political instability, and continuing economic recession. Effective monitoring and evaluation of childhood immunization programs are necessary as in their absence, vaccination rates may dwindle unnoticed for some time before increased incidence of target diseases are observed. Countries with low under five mortality figures have an inverse relationship with their immunization coverage rates. Sweden with immunization coverage of 98% has an under-five mortality rate of 4/1000; this is similar to that of Japan, France and the United States of America all with immunization coverage rates greater than 90%. Developing countries like Nigeria with immunization coverage rates below 80% have under five mortality rates above 100/1000. Although high under five mortality rates may be understandable in war torn countries like Angola and Liberia, this is not the situation in Nigeria and thus it is imperative for health care delivery systems to identify why there is poor immunization coverage in that country especially in the rural. It is on this view the researcher want to investigate the evaluation of the immunization status of children in a rural suburb of Anambra State.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

More children were fully immunized in the urban communities, compared to the rural. This is probably partially due to the general distribution of health care facilities in the country which tend to favor large number of people in the urban area of the country. It could also be attributed to the lack of awareness of the importance of vaccination between mothers in rural areas in comparison to those in urban areas. The UN General Assembly special session on children set targets of full immunization of children under one year at 90 percent nationally. It on this view the researcher wants to evaluate the immunization status of children in a rural suburb of Anambra state

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is evaluation of the immunization status of children in a rural suburb of Anambra State.  But for the successful completion of the study; the researcher intends to achieve the following sub-objectives;

1. To ascertain the reasons for immunization in the rural area
2. To assess the immunization status of children in the rural of Anambra State
3. To ascertain the level of awareness and knowledge of mothers on immunization.
4. To ascertain the relationship between immunization status of children in the rural area and community awareness of immunization

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀: there are no reasons for immunization in the rural area

H₁: there are reasons for immunization in the rural area

H₀²: there is no significant relationship between immunization status of children in the rural area and community awareness of immunization

H₂: there is a significant relationship between immunization status of children in the rural area and community awareness of immunization

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of benefit to ministry of health, rural communities, mothers and general public. The study will also be of great benefit to the researchers who intends to embark on research on similar topics as it will serve as a guide. Finally, the study will be of great importance to academia’s, lecturers, teachers, students and the general public

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers evaluation of the immunization status of children in a rural suburb of Anambra State. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

EVALUATION: Evaluation is a systematic determination of a subject’s merit, worth and significance, using criteria governed by a set of standards

IMMUNIZATION: Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as children.

CHILDREN: Biologically, a child (plural: children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty. The legal definition of child generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority

RURAL SUBURB: The different types of developed human settlements are: urban, suburban, rural and exurban. The main types of communities in urban areas can be: a metropolis (metropolitan area) (pop. … Suburban: A residential area on the outskirts of a city.

 

 

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

 

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