Mother’s characteristics and immunization status of under-five children in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Nigeria was recently congratulated for successfully eradicating wild poliovirus, but this does not mean that all under five years children are fully vaccinated. The country was encouraged to sustain regular vaccination to prevent mortality among children under five. This study explores mothers’ characteristics associated with the immunization status of children under five in northern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in six states in northern Nigeria among mothers/caregivers with under-five children. A multistage random sampling technique was employed using a structured questionnaire to collect data. Data collected were inputted into were analyzed using IBM-SPSS, version 25.0. Results: Of the 3511 children whose mothers were interviewed in this study, 1838 (52.3%) were males, whereas 1673 (47.7%) were females. Children older than 3 years were adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 7.432 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.585–9.889; P < 0.001) times, 31–40 months were AOR 7.285 (95% CI, 5.430–9.773; P < 0.001) times, 21–30 months were AOR 5.084 (95% CI, 3.993–6.474; P < 0.001) times, and those aged 11–20 months were AOR 4.312 (95% CI, 3.525–5.275; P < 0.001) more likely to be fully vaccinated than children aged 10 months and below. Women over 50 years were 3.904 times more likely to have fully vaccinated their children than women aged 20 and below. Mothers with Quranic education (P = 0.004) were 1.503 times more likely to fully immunize their child(ren) than mothers with tertiary education. Conclusion: It is recommended that the government support ongoing campaigns and enlightenment programs on the benefits of full immunization through healthcare professionals and intervention programs.