Compliance of Parents to Complete the Vaccination Schedule for their Children Under Two Years Old During COVID 19 Outbreak in Najaf District, Iraq

Abstract

Background: The most important method to prevent communicable disease in children under 2-years old is immunization. Studying factors that affect compliance of parents towards immunization especially at time of COVID-19 pandemic is an important issue. Aim of study: To measure the compliance of parents of children under 2 years towards routine immunization schedule during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study in the three Primary Health Care centers in Najaf district. A convenient sample of 403 respondents were interviewed through wellprepared questionnaire containing sociodemographic characteristics of parents and children in addition to the effect of COVID-19 on vaccination compliance. Data analysis was performed by SPSS version 26 using descriptive statistics and chi Square for categorical association at level of significance ?=0.05 . Results: About 238 (59%) of children completed their immunization schedule per time versus 165 (41%) reported partial immunization. Most respondents were female 257 (63.8%); two third of them with higher educational level 291 (72.2%), with high frequent age group of 2 5–32 years representing 245 (36%) . Educational level, occupation, income, transportation method, distance to PHC, and age of respondents were found significantly associated with completion of child immunization . Most of children were less than one year old 153 (38%). Most of children were born at hospital 353 (87.6%). Age, birth place, contraindication to vaccination, were significantly associated with completed immunization (P < 0.05). . Most respondents revealed that COVID-19 preventive measures negatively affected immunization timeliness 373 (92.5%), reporting significant relationship with immunization adherence. Conclusions: Compliance with child vaccinations during covid-19 was suboptimal. The sociodemographic characteristics of respondents had a significant relationship to vaccination status.. Parents were missing k

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