THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL EDUCATION AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON ROUTINE CHILDHOOD VACCINATION: AN OBSEVATIONAL STUDY

Objective: To assess the vaccination status of children less than 5 years and to determine the factors associated with low coverage vaccination status. Methodology: This was a prospective study conducted at the department of pediatrics, Rehman Medical Institute Peshawar from 1st January to 31st July 2012. A total of 300 cases were selected attending outpatient department. The parents and guardians were interviewed with a proforma regarding the vaccination status of all children from 1 month to 5 year of age. World Health Organization, Expanded Programme of Immunization, vaccine schedule was followed. The parents/guardians were asked for vaccination cards as confirmation of vaccination and failing to do so, the parents/guardians were thoroughly interviewed including direct and indirect questioning. Results: A total of 240 out of 300 (80%) attending outpatient department were vaccinated while 43 (14.3%) were unvaccinated and remaining 17 (5.7%) were partially vaccinated. Ninety children belonged to high socio economic status (SES), 25 to low and 185 belonged to middle SES. Seventy six out of 240 (31.6%) vaccinated children were from families of high socio economic status. The study revealed that 15 out of 27(55.5%) of the illiterate parent’s children were either partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. Conclusion: The overall rate of routine childhood vaccination remains below international benchmark. The rate of vaccination was significantly better in children of parents from educated and higher socioeconomic class.