Socio-economic characteristics of couples and childhood immunization status in a Nigerian urban setting

Funmi Banjo, Obafemi Awolowo University
Soladoye S. Asa, Obafemi Awolowo University
Oluwagbenga Orimoogunje, Obafemi Awolowo University

This paper assessed the effects of the demographic and socio-economic status of couples on the immunization completeness of their children. Data were collected through the use of primary and secondary sources. Multistage sampling technique was adopted in primary data collection together with purposive sampling which was used to select eight districts out of eleven districts in the study area. From each of the selected districts five enumeration areas were selected randomly after which the household listing was done. Systematic random sampling was used to select 25 couples for the study from each district. In all, 200 couples were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. In arriving at the actual respondents the last two children should be less than or equal 5 years of age. The result of the study shows that more than half (54.5%) of the children had complete immunization with more male children having complete immunization compared with female children. It also shows that couples’ education (father: χ2 = 12.90, p< 0.05; mother: χ2 = 12.47, p< 0.05) and occupation (father: χ2 = 26.3, p< 0.05; mother: χ2 = 13.26, p< 0.05) had significant effects on the immunization uptake of the children. The study concluded that couples’ socio-economic and demographic status greatly influenced children immunization completeness.