Sahitia, S.; Idris, I.B.; Safian, N.B.; Ali, R.F.; Shamsuddin, K.; Hod, R. Assessing Childhood Immunization Coverage Using Novel Approach of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) Methodology in Shikarpur, Pakistan. Preprints2023, 2023111381. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1381.v1
APA Style
Sahitia, S., Idris, I.B., Safian, N.B., Ali, R.F., Shamsuddin, K., & Hod, R. (2023). Assessing Childhood Immunization Coverage Using Novel Approach of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) Methodology in Shikarpur, Pakistan. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1381.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Sahitia, S., Khadijah Shamsuddin and Rozita Hod. 2023 "Assessing Childhood Immunization Coverage Using Novel Approach of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) Methodology in Shikarpur, Pakistan" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1381.v1
Abstract
(1) Background: Childhood immunization is vital for preventing morbidities and mortalities globally. However, rural Pakistan is facing persistent challenges, particularly after recent global health crises in gauging accurate vaccination coverage estimates. This study aimed to apply a novel Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) methodology due to its rapid and reliable estimates of the routine immunization rates among children aged 12-23 months old in Shikarpur, Sindh, and to identify priority areas for future interventions. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional household survey design was adopted for an in-depth assessment of vaccination coverage in a previously under-studied rural context. (3) Results: Data were collected from 1,402 children aged 12-23 months across 47/49 Union Councils in Shikarpur within 141 randomly identified clusters. LQAS was innovatively employed along with GIS Mapping which provided a spatial analysis of the distribution of immunization coverage and the spot map of clusters. The weighted average for fully immunized children was 42.4% after applying Direct Adjustment Method. A steep decline in coverage for each successive vaccine dose was observed, and 39 key priority areas were identified on GIS-based plotting for intensive health interventions. Multivariate Logistic Regression Model further revealed informational gaps and fear of side effects as major barriers to achieving complete immunization. (4) Conclusions: The innovative application of LQAS and GIS Mapping in this study has provided a comprehensive glimpse of its utility in future follow-ups and similar assessments. The findings stress the critical need to tackle the foundational reasons behind the vaccination gaps, with a special focus on enhancing awareness and information dissemination in the key priority areas.
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment:
The innovative combination of LQAS and GIS Mapping allowed for a rapid and reliable assessment of immunization rates. The study underscores the need for comprehensive strategies targeting foundational issues in vaccination coverage, particularly focusing on awareness and information dissemination in identified priority areas. The application of LQAS and GIS Mapping demonstrates its potential for future assessments and highlights the urgency of addressing key challenges to ensure effective immunization programs. Overall, a very insightfull and application orientated article.
While the study acknowledges informational gaps and fear of side effects as barriers to complete immunization, the article lacks an in-depth exploration of the socio-cultural and economic factors contributing to vaccination gaps in these areas. A more nuanced understanding of the local context is crucial for designing effective and culturally sensitive interventions.
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Commenter:
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
While the study acknowledges informational gaps and fear of side effects as barriers to complete immunization, the article lacks an in-depth exploration of the socio-cultural and economic factors contributing to vaccination gaps in these areas. A more nuanced understanding of the local context is crucial for designing effective and culturally sensitive interventions.