Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors influencing attendance to immunization sessions for children in a rural district of Ghana
AU - Bosu, W K
AU - Ahelegbe, D
AU - Edum-Fotwe, E
AU - Bainson, K A
AU - Turkson, P K
PY - 1997/12
Y1 - 1997/12
N2 - Improving immunization coverage is vital to promoting child health and reducing childhood diseases and deaths. In spite of being actively promoted as a major public health intervention for national development since the late 1970s, immunization coverage in Ghana remains low. We investigated factors that influence attendance to immunization sessions in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem District of Ghana. The major factors hindering attendance were poor knowledge about immunization, lack of suitable venues and furniture at outreach clinics, financial difficulties, long waiting times, transport difficulties, poorly motivated service providers and weak intersectoral collaboration. The timing of immunization sessions, length of prior notice to the community, attitude of service providers and fear of side-effects generally did not deter attendance.
AB - Improving immunization coverage is vital to promoting child health and reducing childhood diseases and deaths. In spite of being actively promoted as a major public health intervention for national development since the late 1970s, immunization coverage in Ghana remains low. We investigated factors that influence attendance to immunization sessions in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem District of Ghana. The major factors hindering attendance were poor knowledge about immunization, lack of suitable venues and furniture at outreach clinics, financial difficulties, long waiting times, transport difficulties, poorly motivated service providers and weak intersectoral collaboration. The timing of immunization sessions, length of prior notice to the community, attitude of service providers and fear of side-effects generally did not deter attendance.
KW - Africa
KW - Africa South Of The Sahara
KW - Age Factors
KW - Child Health Services
KW - Clinic Visits
KW - Data Collection
KW - Delivery Of Health Care
KW - Demographic Factors
KW - Developing Countries
KW - English Speaking Africa
KW - Family And Household
KW - Family Characteristics
KW - Family Relationships
KW - Focus Groups
KW - Ghana
KW - Health
KW - Health Personnel
KW - Health Services
KW - Immunization
KW - Infant
KW - Maternal-Child Health Services
KW - Mothers
KW - Obstacles
KW - Organization And Administration
KW - Parents
KW - Population
KW - Population Characteristics
KW - Primary Health Care
KW - Program Activities
KW - Programs
KW - Research Methodology
KW - Research Report
KW - Rural Population
KW - Sampling Studies
KW - Service Statistics
KW - Studies
KW - Surveys
KW - Western Africa
KW - Youth
KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care
KW - Immunization -- Utilization
U2 - 10.1016/S0001-706X(97)00094-6
DO - 10.1016/S0001-706X(97)00094-6
M3 - Journal article
VL - 68
SP - 259
EP - 267
JO - Acta Tropica
JF - Acta Tropica
SN - 0001-706X
IS - 3
ER -