Awareness of the mothers about Expanded Programme on Immunization and relation of immunization coverage with maternal education and Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Abstract

Introduction:Expanded programme of immunization prevents childhood fatal illnesses, and better coverage will raise the herd immunity. Role of mothers is integral in EPI programmes and educated mothers have far better EPI awareness than illiterate or less educated mothers.Objective:  To evaluate the relation between the knowledge of mothers about EPI vaccinations and their infant's coverage. Effect of Covid 19 pandemic and lockdown on scheduled immunization.Settings: Paediatric outpatient department and EPI centre, Sadiq Abbasi Hospital Bahawalpur from 01-09-2021 to 15-11-2012. Material and Methods:The mothers were interviewed by the researchers using a structured questionary. Results:There were 200 mothers included in this study. Their mean age ± SD was 29.04 ±7.46 years.Among the studied mothers 20% were having more than 12 years of education. There were 90% mothers who were housewives, 10% were working women. Only 3% women answered correctly about the exact number of EPI vaccines. The awareness about the individual vaccine was 28% to 33%, except in polio vaccine it was 95%, and in measles it was 75%. The 50% mothers answered that EPI vaccines are safe, and 50% believe that they are effective as well. The mother’s high education was associated with better awareness and EPI coverage. Working women and mothers with higher education status were vaccinatedthemselves against covid 19and vaccinated their children also according to EPI schedule.Conclusion:There is lack of knowledge among mothers regarding EPI program, and over the years it is not improving. The educated mothers have been vaccinated themselvesagainst Covid and they have also completed immunization of their children according to EPI schedule.