Abstract:

The WHO, in 1974, proposed and launched the Expanded Programme on Immunization to immunize children against 6 childhood killer and other diseases, aimed at achieving and maintaining more than 90% coverage with all the vaccines. However this has not been achieved.

The purpose of the study was to determine the factors influencing the participation of mothers of mothers in the Expanded Programme on Immunization, in the Nkoranza South Municipality.

Study Population: The study population comprised of mothers with children less than five years who are attendants at St. Theresa’s Hospital, Nkoranza Municipality. Study Design: A descriptive study with cross-sectional design was carried out to evaluate knowledge of mothers’ on the importance It was conducted over a six weeks period. Sampling Method: Purposive sampling was used to select 150 respondents for this study. It enabled the selection of unique cases in which the result may or could be extended to the whole population. The units or respondents were intentionally picked for the study because of their characteristics or qualities which are not randomly distributed among the general population but they exhibit most of the characteristics of interest of the study. Sample Size: A sample size of 150 was chosen out of convenience from the municipality. It comprised of mothers of children less than five years. Data Collection: A questionnaire comprising both closed and open ended questions were administered to respondents. The questionnaire was pre-tested on randomly selected mothers awaiting consultation in the OPD. Both English and Twi languages were used in the administration of the questionnaire. Data Analysis: The data gathered was analyzed both manually and using Microsoft Excel and the results were expressed in percentages using charts and tables. The results obtained showed that the most popular reason for defaulting was that the mother travelled at the time the child was to be immunized (36.36%). This shows absence of knowledge that in so far as the mother is in possession of the child’s Road To Health Chart, the child will be immunized. The results also revealed that most of the mothers had heard about immunization (98%) and believed it cured disease (42.6%). The smaller proportion who knew it prevented disease (24.7%), were knowledgeable about the diseases it prevented. Just over half the children in the study were fully immunized (55.3%) and almost a quarter of the children had either defaulted or never been immunized. Presence of side effects, The mothers who said their children experienced side effects were asked to specify what kind of side effects the children had. Over half the mothers (56.25%) complained of fever, 35.4% of the mothers complained that the vaccination site got swollen. Other mothers with complaints (8.3%) complained of things like excessive crying and other non specific symptoms. This study revealed that the more than half (55.3%) of the children were fully immunized. the proportion of those who had not been fully immunized (22%) and those whose immunization was up to date (21.3%) was about the same. the lowest percentage was recorded for those who had received no vaccinations at all (1.3%). The main conclusions drawn The most common reason was that the mother travelled long distance (36.36%) at the time the child was due to receive the next vaccination and did not take the child when she returned because the time had passed. the next reason was that the child was ill (15.15%) at the time he/she was supposed to receive the vaccination and was not taken to the immunization centre upon recovery. the ill child tied with mother being too busy with work (15.15%) to take the child to the immunization point. also tying, were the mother being ill, so she was unable to take the child and postponing the immunizations for social functions etcetera with 12.12%. and also that mothers did not have sufficient knowledge about vaccine preventable diseases, also a little than half of the people surveyed had fully immunized their children.

Keywords: Distance travel, sufficient knowledge, cure disease, defaulted immunization, bibliographic data, and side effects.

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