Peer-reviewed article
Drivers Of Vaccine Equity in Childhood Immunization Among Children Aged 12-23 Months in Plateau North Senatorial District, Plateau State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5This study looked at what factors affect whether children aged 12-23 months get vaccinated in Plateau North, Nigeria. Researchers surveyed 400 mothers and analyzed their housing, location, education, and healthcare access. They found that owning a home and the type of community someone lives in were the strongest predictors of whether a child was immunized. Other factors like a mother's age, education, or distance to a clinic did not show a significant link once other factors were accounted for. The study concludes that economic and geographic inequalities are the main drivers of unequal vaccine access in this area.
Key points
- 400 mothers with children aged 12-23 months were surveyed across six Local Government Areas.
- Housing ownership was significantly associated with childhood immunization (AOR = 2.074, 95% CI: 1.315-3.270, p = 0.002).
- Settlement type (rural vs peri-urban) was a significant predictor (AOR = 0.730, 95% CI: 0.545-0.978, p = 0.035).
- Maternal age, education, distance to health facility, and transportation were not significant predictors after adjustment.
- Study recommends targeted outreach and policies to reduce financial and geographic barriers to vaccination.
Limitations
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causation, and the findings are specific to one district in Nigeria so may not generalize elsewhere.
Abstract
Vaccine equity remains a major public health challenge in many low-and middle-income countries, where socioeconomic and spatial disparities continue to limit equitable access to childhood immunization services.Evidence regarding the independent drivers of vaccine equity in Plateau North Senatorial District, Nigeria, remains scarce.A cross-sectional study conducted in district among 400 mothers aged 15-49 years whose youngest child was aged 12-23 months.A multistage stratified sampling technique was used to select respondents across the six Local Government Areas of Plateau North Senatorial District.Data were collected using structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews.Descriptive statistics summarized respondents' characteristics, while Chi-square tests and binomial logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with childhood immunization at a 5% significance level.Most respondents were aged 25-29 years (28.8%),tertiary education (51.0%), lived in rented accommodation (77.3%), resided in peri-urban communities (48.0%), travelled 3-4 km to access health facilities (58.5%) and 1-7 antenatal care visits (58.0%).Chisquare analysis showed that housing ownership status (χ² = 7.647, p = 0.022) had significant associations with childhood immunization.Binomial logistic regression revealed that housing ownership status (AOR = 2.074; 95% CI: 1.315-3.270;p = 0.002) and settlement type (AOR = 0.730; 95% CI: 0.545-0.978;p = 0.035) were significant independent predictors of childhood immunization.Maternal age, maternal education, distance to health facilities, and means of transportation were not significantly associated with childhood immunization after adjustment.The study concludes that vaccine equity in Plateau North Senatorial District is primarily influenced by socioeconomic and spatial inequalities.Interventions aimed at improving childhood immunization should prioritize disadvantaged households and underserved settlements through targeted outreach programmes, equitable healthcare delivery, and policies that reduce financial and geographic barriers to vaccination.