Alexandra township--is immunisation adequate?
Barron, P.M.
South African Medical Journal 72(5): 339-340
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 3616840 Document Number: 297572
In this study we assessed immunization coverage and identified some of the factors that are predictive of non-immunization in Alexandra township. A cohort of 348 babies delivered through the Alexandra clinic system in March and April 1986 were followed up for 4-5 months to see whether they returned for the first DPT and poliomyelitis immunization. Two hundred and twenty-eight of the eligible babies (66%) received the first DPT and polio immunization. Of the 120 who were not immunized, 54 (16% of the total) were not traced, 46 (13%) were transferred to another area and 20 (6%) were traced defaulters. Babies born to mothers who had not attended antenatal clinics and who lived outside Alexandra had children with significantly lower immunization coverage than those born to other mothers. The sex of the baby, maternal age, previous sibling death, maternal parity and paternal support were not associated with any difference in immunization coverage. In this paper some of the reasons for the low immunization coverage are discussed and suggestions as to how this can be improved are given.