ARTICLE TOPIC SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMEN AND IMMUNIZATION STATUS OF UNDER FIVE CHILDREN IN NORTHERN NIGERIA- A CASE STUDY OF POLIOMYELITIS IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract

Childhood illness plays an important role in the adverse health status of children under five years of age in northern Nigeria. Since around 1989, concerted efforts have been made to reduce the problem of infant morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, mainly through routine immunization and supplemental campaigns (door to door), and in spite of a 99% reduction in poliomyelitis prevalence worldwide, Nigeria still accounts for the highest prevalence of circulating wild polio virus in the world and the country is among the ten countries in the world with vaccine coverage below 50 percent. The respondents for the study were selected purposively using multi stage sampling procedure, by stratification. Data were collected from them using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire that had been translated into Hausa, the local language, and back translated to English before administration.Bivariate analysis of the data collected showed that ethnic group of mother was positively associated (p<.000) with immunization status of the under fives, and so was the occupation of the mother (p<.000), religion (p<.000) and educational attainment of mother (p<.000). Multivariate analysis (binary logistic regression) of the data however, showed that mothers’ educational attainment may not significantly influence immunization status of the under fives, as much as household monthly income.