LEVEL OF UPTAKE OF MEASLE VACCINES AND INFLUENCING FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN AGED (9-24) MONTHS IN AGALI SUB COUNTY, A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/insights.v2i4.5Keywords:
Measles vaccine uptake, children aged (9-24) months, Agali sub-countyAbstract
Background
Measles remains a significant public health challenge globally despite being a vaccine-preventable disease. This study aimed at identifying the level of uptake of the measles vaccine and influencing factors among children aged (9-24) months in the Agali sub-county.
Methodology
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2nd to February 7th, 2024, in the Agali subcounty, Lira district, Uganda. Mothers/caregivers of children aged 9-24 months who were interviewed were 385. Interviewer-administered pre-tested structured questionnaires were used. Data was entered into EPI data, exported, and analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Both binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. In multivariate analysis, a significant association was declared at a p-value of < 0.05.
Results
Response rate was 100%. The majority of caregivers were female (88.1%), aged 15-35 years (83.9%), married (95.8%), of Christian faith (99.2%), with primary education (79.0%); they correctly knew the age for measles vaccination (72.5%), were informed about its importance (82.6%), perceived the vaccine as safe (93.5%) and effective (95.3%), and mostly relied on Village Health Teams (VHTs) for information (71.4%). Immunization card records further confirmed that 72% of the children (279) had been vaccinated against measles, reflecting a relatively high level of coverage.
Conclusion
The uptake of the measles vaccine among children aged 9-24 months was low compared to the recommended national target of 95%. Factors influencing measles vaccine uptake include the marital status of the mother/caregiver, level of education attained by the head of the household, and reception of reminders for vaccination by mothers/caregivers.
Recommendations
The importance of education and social support in promoting vaccination should be emphasized, particularly among caregivers with lower education levels or those not in a marital relationship.
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