Polygyny and childhood immunisation in Ethiopia: is there an association?
Date
2016
Authors
Sibiya, Johan Mduduzi
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Childhood vaccination has proved to be one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions in the world. However, one in eleven children in Ethiopia die before their fifth birthday, mostly as a result of vaccine preventable diseases and childhood immunisation coverage remains very low by any standard in the country. Little is known about the linkage between family structure and child health-seeking behaviour in Ethiopia where polygyny is common. This study examines the association between the type family structure with a particular interest in polygynous family structure and childhood immunisation among children aged 12 to 60 months in Ethiopia.
METHODOLOGY: Data from the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, containing a sample of 3 188 children aged 12-60 months were analysed and the vaccination history of children in relation to selected mother and child characteristics were examined. Bivariate tests as well as binary logistic regression models were used to examine the levels of childhood immunisation and the association between family structure and immunisation in Ethiopia.
RESULTS: The data analysis revealed that 27% of Ethiopian children were immunised, 17.4% of children from polygynous households, and 27% of children in single-parent and monogamous households were immunised. Overall family structure was not found to be significantly associated with childhood immunisation. Geographical region, poverty status, mother’s age, parity, antenatal care and mother’s place of delivery were found to be significant determinants of child immunisation in Ethiopia.
CONCLUSION: Complete immunisation coverage among children aged 12-60 months remains very low by any standard in Ethiopia. Findings show that although a polygynous family structure is not a significant determinant of childhood immunisation it has a positive effect on it. Improved awareness of child immunisation services among mothers would greatly increase immunisation coverage.
Description
Master's degree research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the MA degree in Demography and Population Studies, 2016.
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Citation
Sibiya, Johan Mduduzi (2016) Polygyny and childhood immunisation in Ethiopia: is there an association?, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/22441>