Study on Identification of Determinants of Childhood Immunization Uptake in the Urban Slum Population of Nadiad city of District Kheda, Gujarat Jariwala Priyanka D Consultant Public Health Management, Urban Health and Climate Resilience Center, Surat Online published on 22 June, 2018. Abstract Background The National Population Policy (NPP 2000) aimed to immunize all the children against 6 common childhood diseases namely, Tuberculosis, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles and Polio by 2010. Universal immunization of children against these six vaccine preventable diseases is crucial to reducing infant and child mortality. The primary objective of the study was to determine the immunization coverage, reasons of non immunization and the determinants of immunization uptake in the urban slums of Nadiad city, Kheda district, Gujarat. Methodology It was a cross-sectional study. Selection of respondents was done at random with a sample size of 462 women who had children between 12–23 months. Survey data were collected by questionnaire followed by Univariate and Bivariate analysis Results The overall complete immunization status of the children in the urban slums of Nadiad is 72%, with 20% being partially unimmunized and 8% being immunized. 81% mothers had immunization card with them. 91% of children aged 12–23 months had received Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine, 76% had received 3 doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) 77% had received 3 doses of DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) 78% had received measles and 75% had received Vitamin A. The drop out between BCG and Measles was noticed about 14%, for OPV 3 is 11% and DPT3 is 9%. The factors like the place of delivery, parents’ education, father's occupation, the caste of family were closely associated with the immunization status of the children. It was found that 28% of the children were either partially immunized or non-immunized. Three major reasons cited by the mothers were “Unaware of need of immunization” (31%), “Unaware of need to return for 2nd and 3rd dose” (20%) and “No faith in Immunization (16%). Conclusion It was revealed from the study that 28% of the children in the urban slums of Nadiad city are not fully immunized and demographic and socioeconomic factors such as literacy, place of delivery, occupation, caste does affect immunization of the child. To increase the immunization coverage the reasons of non immunization should be taken into account by the government and program implementing body Top Keywords Determinants, Gujarat, Immunization, Nadiad. Top |