Effects of a community volunteer-driven intervention on caregivers' knowledge and practice of childhood immunization in rural communities of Rivers state
Keywords:
Immunization, community-volunteers, caregivers, Knowledge, practices, Rivers StateAbstract
Background: Immunization is a cost-effective public health tool, preventing about three million deaths among children annually. This study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of a community volunteer-driven intervention in improving caregivers knowledge and practice of routine childhood immunization in rural communities of Rivers State.
Methods. A randomized controlled study was conducted among caregivers with infants between 0 to 6 weeks of age in rural communities. A total of 368 caregivers were enrolled in the study through a multistage sampling technique and randomized into intervention or control groups and followed for 9 months. The intervention was a structured immunization education for caregivers in the intervention group, while the control was left out. Data were collected with a pretested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire.
Results. There were 153 (83.2% caregivers in the intervention group and 148 (80.4%) in the control group. Their mean ages were 30.2 ± 7.9 years (intervention group); 31.9 ± 10.1years (control group). There was a significantly better knowledge of immunization in the intervention group, 114 (64.9%) compared to the control group, 98 (59.0%) (X2=7.55, p=0.02), and also a significantly better practice of immunization in the intervention group, 139 (80.4%) compared to the control group, 97 (58.4%) (X2=21.93, p=0.000).
Conclusion. Structured immunization education by trained community members significantly improved knowledge and practice of childhood immunization among caregivers. And therefore, recommended for improving immunization uptake and child survival in rural communities.
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