Determinants of Immunization Status Among Children Between 13-24 Months of Age in Maharashtra, India – A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

In India, only 56.3% of children between one to two years of age have received full immunization. In some area, despite of good health care delivery system, immunization coverage is not reaching up to the mark due to some unaddressed issues. Therefore, identification of these determinants will help to improve the immunization status of each child.

Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the field practice area of the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) affiliated to the medical college in Maharashtra, India. The sample of 350 participants was taken from 19 villages in the rural area and 17 administrative wards in the urban area by ‘Probability Proportional to population Size’ method. All married women in 15-49 years of age, having child in the age group 13- 24 months were included in the study.

  83.71% children were fully immunized while remaining 16.29% were either partially or unimmunized. The dropout rate for measles compared to BCG was 16.3%. Main reasons for partial and un-immunization were lack of information and forgotten about the date. Occupation of mother, family type, parity, place of delivery and knowledge of immunization were significantly associated with immunization status of child.

  The determinants of immunization coverage if studied locally will help the programme managers to implement programme effectively to increase the overall coverage.