Coverage and factors associated with tetanus toxoid vaccination status among females of reproductive age in Peshawar

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the coverage and determine the factors associated with tetanus toxoid vaccination status among females of reproductive age.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: District Peshawar, NWFP, from July to September 2002.

Patients and methods: A total of 646 females of reproductive age (15-49) years were selected from both urban and rural areas of Peshawar through stratified cluster sampling. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was administered to females. Two logistic regression models were built, one for all females and one for married females only.

Results: Overall 65.0% females were vaccinated (95% confidence interval (CI) (61.3%, 68.6%). For all females, the variables that were significantly associated with vaccination status were marital status (OR= 8.5, 95% CI (4.7, 15.6)), source of information regarding tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination, knowledge regarding TT vaccination, visits of lady health worker (LHW) to a household (OR = 2.3, 95% CI (1.4, 3.9) and restriction on TT vaccination (OR = 28.7, 95% CI (3.5, 237.9)). For the married females, the variables that were significantly associated with vaccination status were source of information; visits of LHW to a household (OR = 2.8, 95% CI (1.5 to 5.2)) and an interaction between knowledge regarding TT vaccination and antenatal care visits.

Conclusion: These findings are of public health concern as a majority of females is not vaccinated according to WHO recommendations. It is recommended that maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) vaccination campaigns should include lady health workers at implementation stage.