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Background: Worldwide about 29,000 children under the age of five die every day,
mainly from preventable diseases. Every year around 8 million children in
developing countries die before they reach their fifth birthday; many during the first
year of life. By 2016, child mortality rate for Kenya was 49.2 deaths per 1,000 live
births.
Objective: The main objective of the study was to assess client factors that
contributes to non-adherence to the immunization schedule for children under five
years in Chepsaita location.
Study Setting: This study was carried out in Chepsaita location, Turbo Sub-county, in
Uasin Gishu County
Study Subjects: The study population was all households with children aged below
five years within Chepsaita location consisting of 300 households. The proxies were
their mothers or caretakers found at home at the time of data collection. The health
workers at the health centre who offer MCH services as well as community
volunteers were included in the study as key informants.
Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional study design. Purposive and
Snowball sampling techniques were used to select households. Further, the staff
working at the immunization clinic were purposively selected for in-depth
interview at the health facility.
Results: A total of 172 households participated in this study. Majority of the
respondents were from the age brackets of 35-39 years (22.7%) and 30-34 years
(22.1%). Most of the participants were married (91.9%). Most of the mothers
indicated their highest level of education as primary (53.5%). Majority of the study
area residents were found to be protestants (64.5%). The immunization coverage rate
according to the findings from the present study was 74.4%. Client factors associated
with non-adherence to the immunisation schedule were; maternal age (X2 =48.611, P
<0.001), education level (X2 = 50.351, P < 0.001), Marital Status (X2 =11.993, P <0.001),place of delivery (X2 =0.175, P<0.001), family size (X2 =5.307, P =0.021) and maternal
knowledge about immunization (X2 =10.872, P <0.001).
Conclusion: Adherence to immunization is still low in Chepsaita location. Client
related factors associated with adherence to EPI immunization schedule for children
under five years of age include; older maternal age, lower maternal education level,
marital status, mother’s occupation and lower family monthly income, place of
delivery, large family size and lower maternal level of knowledge on immunization.
Recommendation: Based on the study findings, its recommended that mothers
should be educated on importance of adherence to EPI immunization schedule for
children under five years which it was found to be low in Chepsaita location. The
study recommends the collaboration of national government, county government,
community-based organization (CBOs), NGOs and other health sector actors to come
up with sensitization campaigns on adherence to EPI immunization which will
benefit all mothers. |
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