What Determines Child Immunisation? A Study of Socio-Economic Factors in East Sikkim

Young children face the risk of being infected by a variety of diseases; this makes it necessary to resort to vaccination as a failsafe for ensuring healthy life of the child. However the success of the immunisation drive is conditioned by prevailing conditions. Some of these also determine whether family members opt for full, partial or no immunisation. This paper attempts to identify and estimate the impacts of various socio-economic factors on childhood immunisation coverage in the East district of Sikkim. The study is based on primary data consisting of 204 respondents collected through household survey. The ordered probit and Heckman probit models have been utilised to estimate the significant change in childhood immunisation coverage. The study found that the birth order of child (BOC), mother’s age, the standard of living, caste and religion have a significant impact on childhood immunisation coverage. With regard to the extent of immunisation, the important elements are mother’s education, mother’s age, gender of the household head and distance from hospital.