Abstract:
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI) recommended the use of Pentavelent vaccines in Nigeria and other developing countries to replace the DPT (Diphtheria, pertusis and tetanus) vaccine. This was done to increase the uptake of the hepatitis B (HB) and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccines in these countries by capitalising on the uptake of DPT vaccine.
Objective: This study aims to assess the attitude and use of pentavalent vaccine in pregnant women attending antenatal care in a Tertiary Hospital in Jos, Plateau State.
Methods: The study was carried out among pregnant women receiving antenatal care in Plateau Specialist hospital, Jos using a descriptive cross sectional study design. The study was done over a period of four (4) months (August 2018 to December 2018). Simple Random Sampling was used to select 397 women who participated in the study.
Results: Respondents were predominantly Christians 283 (71.3%) while Muslims represent about 114 (28.7%) of respondents. About 373 (94%) respondents were married, While 24 (6.0%) percent of the respondents were single parents. Also 213 (53.7%) were business women, Only 48 (12.1%) were civil servants while 85 (21.4%) of the respondents had no form of employment. Majority 257(97.0%) of them had a positive attitude towards the vaccine while only a few 8(3.0%) had a negative attitude.
Eighty eight (32.2%) felt pentavalent vaccines were not important. A similar proportion 88 (3.2%) also stated that they would not give their child the vaccine. Most women 252 (95.1%) agreed that mothers should be encouraged to attend immunization regularly. Side effect experienced by children were fever 69 (87.3%), swelling at injection site 21 (26.6%), rash 6 (7.6%).Conclusion and recommendations: All most all pregnant women had a positive attitude towards the vaccine while only a few had a negative attitude. Nine in ten women had children who had received pentavalent vaccine. Health workers should improve efforts at health education on immunization especially on adverse effects following immunization (AEFI), reasons for missed opportunities, coverage of hard to reach areas or distant areas via special immunization or home visiting to administer vaccine.
