Gender inequities, relationship power, and childhood immunization uptake in Nigeria: a population-based cross-sectional study

Type Journal Article - International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Title Gender inequities, relationship power, and childhood immunization uptake in Nigeria: a population-based cross-sectional study
Author(s)
Volume 16
Issue 2
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2012
Page numbers e136-e145
URL http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/22197748
Abstract
Methods
A multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed on nationally representative sample data from the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, which included 33 385 women aged 15–49 years who had a total of 28 647 live-born children; 24 910 of these children were included in this study.

Results
A total of 4283 (17%) children had received full immunization. Children of women whose spouse did not contribute to household earnings had a higher likelihood of receiving full childhood immunization (odds ratio (OR) 1.96, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.02–3.77), and children of women who lacked decision-making autonomy had a lower likelihood of receiving full childhood immunization (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.60–0.91). The likelihood of receiving full childhood immunization was higher among female children (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.06–1.54), Yoruba children (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.19–4.26), and children resident in communities with low illiteracy (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.06–3.12), but lower for children of birth order 5 or above (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.45–0.96), children of women aged =24 years (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50–0.87) and 25–34 years (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63–0.99), children of women with no education (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.21–0.54) and primary education (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.45–0.97), as well as children of women resident in communities with high unemployment (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.20–0.57).

Conclusions
The woman being the sole provider for her family (i.e., having a spouse who did not contribute to household earnings) was associated with a higher likelihood of fully immunizing the child, and the woman lacking decision-making autonomy was associated with a lower likelihood of fully immunizing the child. These findings draw attention to the need for interventions aimed at promoting women's employment and earning possibilities, whilst changing gender-discriminatory attitudes within relationships, communities, and society in general.

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