PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION AMONG MOTHERS IN DAMATURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT, YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine the perceived barriers to childhood immunization, the association between mother’s age, number of children with SHOTS subscales scores, and also to determine the differences in perception of barriers between religious groups, educational level, employment status and marital status groups among mothers in Damaturu Local Government, Yobe state, Nigeria. Methodology: A community cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers in six selected wards in Damaturu local government, Yobe state, Nigeria. A total number of fifty mothers in each of the six wards were sampled, in which two hundred and ninety-two mothers agreed and participated in the study. Data for the study were collected using a designed instrument for sociodemographic and Searching for Hardship and Obstacles to Shots (SHOTS). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the data analysis. Results: Barriers to childhood immunization identified among mothers who consider the SHOTS items as “quite a bit/ a big problem” in Access subscale are: ‘I don’t know when my child need to get his/her shots’ (28.1%), ‘I don’t know where to take my child to get his/her shots’ (27.1%), ‘the shots cost too much’ (20.5%), and ‘I couldn’t get time off work’ (21.6%). Items considered as most problematic in the Concern subscales of the SHOTS is: ‘I don’t believe in getting my children shots’ (20.2%), while items considered as problematic in the Importance subscale of the SHOTS are; ‘I worry my child might get sick from shots’ (20.2%), ‘if something happen to my child after shots, I will feel like it’s was my fault’ (20.2%) and ‘I don’t think children shots are important’ (21.2%). The Spearman Correlation analysis shows no significant association(p>0.05) between the mothers’ age and number of children with the three SHOTS subscales scores of Access, Concern, Importance and the total subscales of the SHOTS. Significant differences were observed in the results of the independent t-test conducted to test for the differences in mother’s perception of barriers in the two religion groups (Muslims and Christians). Differences were observed in the Access subscale with effect size (d=0.66), Concern (d=0.056), Importance (d=0.35) and total (d=0.61) in all the SHOTS subscales with p<0.05. There were significance differences in the perception of barriers between mothers in two educational groups (educated, uneducated) in the Access with effect size (d=0.50), Concern (d=0.52), Importance (d= 0.37) and total (d=0.55) in all SHOTS subscales with p<0.05. No statistical differences were observed in the perception of barriers between mothers who are employed and unemployed in all the SHOTS subscales(p>0.05).However there were statistical differences in the perception of barriers were observed between the marital status groups (Married, Unmarried) in all the SHOTS subscales, Access (d=1.05), Concern(d=0.48), Importance(d=0.49), Total(d=0.90) and all with p<0.05 in the subscales. Conclusion: Perceived barriers to childhood immunization were observed in the SHOTS subscales of Access, Concern and importance. Barriers identified are lack of awareness on time and place of immunization, inadequate knowledge of routine immunization, fear of side effects and religious and cultural beliefs. Findings show the need for educational programmes to sensitize and raise awareness among parents, active engagement of stakeholders at all levels and the need for appropriate and reliable communication channels to provide parents with information regarding immunization. Keywords: Immunization, Vaccine-preventable diseases, coverage, barriers, challenges.