Knowledge, Attitude, Perceptions of Adult Males towards Childhood Immunizations in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Immunisation is a cost effective public health intervention in reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases worldwide. In Nigeria, childhood immunisation against poliomyelitis is still bedeviled by setbacks which are multifactorial. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and perceptions of adult males towards childhood immunizations in Nigeria. Methods: The research was a descriptive cross-sectional study of adult males in the Ido-Osi local government area of Ekiti state, southwest Nigeria. Multistage sampling method was used to select 320 adult males for the study, and a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. Statistical analysis was done using the Epi Info 4. P value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Mean age (±SD) of the respondents was 48.4±12.6 years with range of 20-95 years. About half (50.6%) of the respondents were in the age group 40-59 years. 79.7% were married while only 2 were single with about two-thirds of the married respondents in monogamous family type. 82.3% were willing to support childhood immunization. The association between respondents’ religion and education, and willingness to support childhood immunization was found to be statistically significant: (x2=51.53; df=6; p=0.0000) and (x2=65.48; df=6; p=0.0000) respectively. Conclusion: The study showed that the knowledge of adult males about childhood immunization was high. The perception of childhood immunization as a means of protection from certain illnesses was also common and most men were willing to support it. The support for childhood immunization was significantly affected by religion and level of education.