Missed opportunities of immunization in under-fives in adopted area of Urban Health Centre

Background: Immunization being one of the most cost effective public health interventions which is directly or indirectly responsible to prevent the bulk of mortalities in under-fives., thus vaccinating the children to the maximum is a great need of the future specially to reduce the child mortality and morbidity. Since, the programme of immunization on the whole was not found satisfactory in some of the states including Maharashtra. So the present study was conducted. Research question: What are the reasons of missed opportunities of immunization in under-fives? Objectives: To study the immunization status of under-fives in urban slums under Urban Health Centre and explore the reasons responsible for un-immunization or partial immunization. Materials and Methods: Community based Cross-sectional study conducted in Jan to April 2007. Total 420 under-fives were selected from six slums by simple random sampling method. Results: Out of 420 children, 270 (64.28%), 109 (25.95%) and 41 (9.76%) were fully immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized respectively. Immunization status of the children was significantly more in the children of educated mothers and child belonging to higher socioeconomic group. Lack of knowledge of immunization, ignorance about immunization of child and revisits for the immunization sessions were two main reasons (36.67% each) responsible for partial or un-immunization. Ignorance was most common reason (46.78%) responsible for partial immunization while lack of mother's knowledge regarding immunization was common (46.34%) reason of unimmunization. Conclusion: Mother's education, socioeconomic status of the family, Lack of mother's knowledge about immunization and ignorance and fear of losing daily wages were important factors responsible for un-immunization or partial immunization.