Factors Contributing to Missed Opportunities and Incomplete Vaccination of Children: A Focus on Mothers in Rumbek Centre County of Lakes State South Sudan

Abstract

Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) have been proven to be easily mitigated among the infants/children if the target population is effectively mobilized to receive the vaccines especially at the appropriate ages. The role played by mothers/guides in ensuring their wards get vaccinated appropriately cannot be over-emphasized. Their knowledge and attitude towards immunization can either promote or retard the possibility for missed opportunity and incomplete vaccination of this vulnerable and helpless population. The main objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude of the mothers/guides and to determine the predicting factors contributing to the missed opportunities and incomplete vaccination in Rumbek Centre County Lakes State of South Sudan. The study was carried out at the Rumbek State Hospital and Matangai Primary Health Care Centre, both in Rumbek Centre County of Lakes State in South Sudan. A descriptive cross sectional study of mothers/guides attending immunization clinics of both health units was carried out. Inclusion of participants was done by simple random sampling. Data was obtained through the use of structured, self-administered questionnaire. Summated scores were used to grade respondents’ knowledge and attitude towards immunization. Data analysis was done using the Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Data were presented using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages, and pie charts. Inferential statistics of Chi-square was used to test for associations between various socio-demographic variables and the knowledge and attitude of mothers/guides towards immunization. A considerably high proportion of mothers/guides (72.1%) have good knowledge on immunization with 27.9% of them having poor knowledge on immunization. Slightly above average (52.9%) of the mothers/guides have good attitude towards immunization while a fairly large proportion (47.1%) of them have poor attitude towards immunization. Marital status, level of education, occupation and number of children were all found to have statistically significantly associated (P<0.05) with the mothers’/guides’ knowledge on immunization. This study further revealed that Marital status, religion, level of education and occupation have statistical significant association (P<0.05) with the attitudes of the mothers/guides towards immunization. Vaccination compliance analysis in this study revealed a downward trend along the various vaccines/indicators based on age and vaccines received by each respondent’s child. Among the suggested recommendations include improved immunization health education for mothers/guides, training and re-training of vaccinators/health workers, effective tracking of defaulters and concerted efforts towards lasting peace in South Sudan.