article · Healthcare
Under-immunisation among young children presents an ongoing public health concern in Africa, where more than half of the world's 20 million partially vaccinated children reside. A cross-sectional investigation conducted in Buea, Cameroon, gathered data from 438 caregivers using the World Health Organization Behavioural and Social Determinants of vaccination framework to assess childhood vaccination coverage and associated influences. The findings revealed that roughly one quarter of children aged 0 to 59 months in the municipality were under-immunised. Specific factors significantly heightened the likelihood of incomplete vaccination, including residing in Buea Town, living under one mile from a health facility, lacking unsolicited guidance, and having a caregiver working in the private sector. Conversely, marital separation, alternative housing arrangements, and an absence of discussions regarding vaccine concerns with health staff correlated with lower under-immunisation rates.
Incomplete childhood vaccination leaves populations vulnerable to preventable disease outbreaks. By pinpointing the local geographic, social, and economic barriers that reduce vaccine uptake in urban Cameroon, this work enables health authorities and campaign planners to design targeted interventions that improve community engagement and service delivery.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway, as it focuses on epidemiological survey findings intended to inform public health policy and community outreach interventions rather than commercial products.
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Introduction: Under-immunization remains a major global public health concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that approximately 20 million children globally are not fully vaccinated, with more than half of these children residing in Africa. African countries including Cameroon face unique challenges in achieving high vaccination coverage. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of under-immunization among children aged 0–59 months in Buea, Cameroon to contribute to effective national immunization policy. Methods: This cross-sectional study used the World Health Organization Behavioural and Social Determinants of vaccination tool to collect data from 438 caregivers of children aged 0–59 months in the city of Buea. Data were collected on socio-demographics, immunization factors, and health system variables for the study cohort. Results: It was found that 25.11% of children in urban Buea were under-immunized. Children in Buea Town were three times more likely to be under-immunized than those in Molyko (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3–7.3, p = 0.013). Children of separated caregivers were 0.2 times less likely to be under-immunized than those of widowed caregivers (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1–0.9, p = 0.036). Children whose caregivers did not receive unsolicited advice were 2.1 times more likely to be under-immunized (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2–3.4, p = 0.006). Children living less than 1 mile from health facilities were 2.9 times more likely to be under-immunized than those living more than 10 miles away (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1–7.5, p = 0.030). Children of caregivers employed in the private sector were 4.3 times more likely to be under-immunized compared to those of unemployed caregivers (AOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.1–16.2, p = 0.031). Children in non-owned/non-rented houses were 0.3 times less likely to be under-immunized compared to those in rented houses (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.9, p = 0.030). Children whose caregivers did not discuss vaccination concerns with healthcare workers were 0.6 times less likely to have under-immunized children (COR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.3–0.9, p = 0.020). Conclusions: It was concluded that under-immunization is a significant public health problem in the city of Buea. Interventions that target the quality of services, community engagement, and the unique challenges faced by different caregiver groups, are needed.
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DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13030239
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