COMMUNICATION AND STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS OF VACCINE ACCEPTANCE AMONG NURSING MOTHERS IN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN NIGERIA.
Contributors: Indiana University.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 418
Subjects: Mass Communications.; Journalism.; Health Sciences, Public Health.; Political Science, Public Administration.; Sociology, Social Structure and Development.; Women's Studies.
Description: This study examines the acceptance of vaccination services in Nigeria. Emphasis was on the role of communication, the economic status of households, individual level characteristics, particularly education and knowledge of vaccination services. Also, the role of management in the diffusion of vaccines was examined. The study adapts some behavior change models, including the innovation-decision model, to explain why widespread acceptance of eight key vaccines was not taking place.

Research in Lagos and Kano states in 1989 used cluster sampling and surveys of 465 households, in addition to focus studies, field observations, and content analysis of mass media messages. The study's key findings are that: (i) lack of continuity in program management constrain widespread acceptance of vaccination services. (ii) Structural deficiencies such as poor access to remote regions lower acceptance rates in rural areas. (iii) Extent of vaccination coverage was grossly understated, but program officials exaggerated coverage to justify public spending on the program. (iv) Education and knowledge of vaccinations are the best predictors of vaccine acceptance.

Furthermore, the study finds that children of mothers who had higher levels of education completed vaccination series more often than those with lower levels of education. And knowledge of the key principles of vaccinations, knowledge of how measles spreads, as well as knowledge of some basic facts of vaccination services always predict completion of vaccination series. So also does the nature of mother's experience with vaccination services. Significantly, economic poverty of households and poor education of mothers were neither barriers to communicating knowledge of vaccination services nor were they constraints on vaccine acceptance.

The mass media were ineffective for diffusing vaccination messages, partly because of poor management practices, poorly worded messages, and lack of understanding of the communication behavior of mothers. But the study also finds support for continued use of mass media, radio and television in particular, to diffuse vaccination messages, provided adjustments are made to the structure and content of vaccination messages.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-06, Section: A, page: 1712.

Thesis (PH.D.)--INDIANA UNIVERSITY, 1992.

School code: 0093.