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George M, Kurian S, Samuel K, George M, Bouvert B, Praneeth C, Creeper E, varshika D, Chaudhary D, Juana D, Singh J, Emmanuel J, Das S, Kispotta K, Balasubramanya B, John J. Study on coverage of optional vaccines in 3-6 year old children in an urban setting in Vellore, India. HPHR. 2022;70. https://doi.org/10.54111/0001/RRR7
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Optional vaccines are those not included in the Indian National Immunization Programme and given on an optional paid basis. They prevent common causes of morbidity and mortality in the Indian population. Objective To estimate the coverage of select optional vaccines (Seasonal Influenza, pre-exposure Anti Rabies, Pneumococcal, MMR, Typhoid, Varicella, Hepatitis A) and to explore the barriers and facilitators to uptake of select optional vaccines among children in the age group 3-6 years in an urban setting of Vellore District.
A community based cross sectional study was conducted in the urban population of Vellore Town among children in the age group of 3-6 years. 30*7 cluster sampling with probability proportional to size was used to obtain a sample size of 210 households. A semi-structured interviewer based, pilot tested questionnaire was administered after taking informed consent.
A total of 220 children from 210 households were included in the study, of which 46% (101) had not received any optional vaccine. The individual vaccine coverage were ranged from 0.9% for Anti Rabies vaccine to 46.8% for MMR Vaccine. High socioeconomic status (p less than 0.001), high maternal educational level (p less than 0.001), health professional’s advice (p less than 0.001), access of caregiver to smart phones (p less than 0.001), and birth in a private hospital (p less than 0.001) were found to be predictors of good vaccine uptake. The barriers to vaccine coverage observed were lack of knowledge, cost of the vaccine, non-availability and false knowledge of apparent insufficiency.
We recommend that medical practitioners be encouraged to counsel caregivers regarding the available optional vaccines and their benefits. At the end of the interview, pamphlets with information regarding optional vaccines were given to the caregivers.
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