Immunization: The Behavioral Issues. Behavioral Issues in Child Survival Programs: Monograph Number Three

摘要

Of all the child survival interventions, immunization has generally had the greatest success to date. Every year about 3.5 million children in developing countries die and many more are disabled from vaccine preventable diseases. Even when vaccination services are accessible and even free, many mothers and child caretakers do not respond. The monograph, the third in a series on behavioral issues of child survival interventions, presents a synthesis and analysis of program experience and research findings concerning behavioral issues of immunization. Major findings and recommendations concern: the importance of understanding behavioral factors; reasons children are not immunized; disease-specific beliefs and behavior; socioeconomic correlates of low immunization coverage; parental knowledge and understanding of immunization and their fears concerning it; low motivation for immunization; mothers' time costs and other constraints; location of services; drop outs; vaccination cards; community participation; traditional health practitioners; traditional health beliefs; research methodologies and health education approaches; and counseling guidelines.