Assessment of Mother‘s knowledge Concerning Child Immunization in Primary Health Care Centers in Baquba City

Abstract

Background: Immunization remains one of the most important public health intervention and a cost effective strategy to reduce both the morbidity and mortality related with infectious diseases.                                                                                                                                         

 Objective: To identify and describe the scope   of   knowledge of   mothers   towards   child

 immunization and its relation to immunization status of their children.

Subjects and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in three primary health care centers in Diyala governorate from the 1^st of October 2014 to 1^st of April 2015. Two hundred fifty random samples of mother and child, who had aged (12-24) months. The data were collected by obtained questionnaire formats which included demographic data such as age, residence, educational level, occupation, number of children, and this questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study.                                                                                                          

Results: The findings revealed that knowledge of mothers toward child immunization were poor and represent (98 %) of mothers ,also the decline of the immunization status of children aged (12-24) months, the main barriers for mothers to complete their children ‘s immunization were because their child illness .The findings have approved that there is a significant relationship between mothers’ knowledge and demographic variables (age, educational level and number of children), and sources of mothers’ knowledge concerning child immunization (physician, health worker).

Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between knowledge of the mothers regarding vaccination and their age and educational level also there is a significant relationship between mothers knowledge and immunization status of their children.