DETERMINANTS OF IMMUNISATION COVERAGE AMONG CHILDREN IN MATHARE VALLEY, NAIROBI

Abstract

Objective: To establish the factors that determine the levels of immunisation coverage among
children under five years in Mathare Valley.
Design: A crars-sectional study describing the situation at a point i n time.
Setting: Mathare Valley slum with a population of 50,000 people in the city of Nairobi
Subjects: The study population was mothers with children under five years in Mathare
Valley and had been resident there for a period not less than five yt ars prior to the study.
Outcome measures: Level of immunisation coverage among children in the study population
and the factors that contribute to the low immunisation coverage.
Results: Knowledge on immunisation was high with 90% of the reslmndents able to define
immunisation. The attitude on immunisation was positive (74.4'6) and immunisation
coverage stood at 62.2%. Age, level of education, attitude and know1 edge on immunisaiion
among the residents were sigdicant determinants of immunisation coverage.
Conclusion: Immunisation coverage was lower than the national aver age in Mathare Valley.
Advanced mother's age, low level of education and relative lackof know ledge on immunisation
were responsible for the low coverage.