Awareness and Practice of Mothers Regarding Immunization of Under-Five Children in Urban Slum Area of Kathmandu

Abstract

Immunization is one of the most effective, safest & efficient Public Health Interventions. While the  impact of Immunization on childhood morbidity & mortality has been great, full potential, has not  yet been reached. Still, Thousands of children die from Vaccine-Preventable diseases each year. Lack  of information or incorrect information has been associated with parents’ anxieties or concerns about  childhood immunization. To find out the awareness and practice among mothers of under five children  regarding immunization.  

Cross sectional descriptive design was used. In the bank of Bagmati River at Thapathali to sankhamul  of Kathmandu, there are around 250 huts; a door to door household survey was done among 90 mothers  of under 5 children by using non- probability purposive sampling technique and semi-structured  interview schedule was used to collect data who were willing to participate and available during study  period. The data was collected in January 2014. Obtained data was a nalyzed by using descriptive  statistics. The data shows that 97.7% mothers felt the need for immunization to their children as they  got information from T.V, Radio & 83% from MCH clinic or hospital. Likewise, 80% of mothers knew  the time of vaccination to their children, about 76.6 % mothers knew the name of vaccines (BCG, Polio,  Measles, DPT,) which prevents the disease that is T.B, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus and measles. Regarding  importance of vaccination, seventy five percent (75.6%) said that it reduced illness. Eighty percent of  the mothers were aware about side effect of vaccination that is fever and diarrhea. 80% of mothers  were favors of weighing for their child to identify the normal growth pattern. According to education of  mothers awareness of immunization was showed that 80% of the educated mothers were aware about  immunization, among them 67% were aware about vaccine regarding polio, BCG and DPT, whereas  77% had knowledge of measles. In practice, BCG (97.7 %), polio, DPT and Hepatitis 95.5%, Measles  85.5%, MR 5.5%, MMR 3.3% and only 1% of JE Vaccines were provided. 

This study revealed that slum areas mothers’ awareness and practice regarding immunization of under  5 children was found to be satisfactory but some area had lack of awareness regarding appropriate time  of starting and duration of full course of immunization.