<p>Rotavirus Vaccine Coverage and Associated Factors Among a Rural Population: Findings from a Primary Health-Care Project in Two Northwest Ethiopia Districts</p>

Abstract

Objective: Rotavirus vaccines reduced severe rotavirus disease by more than 60% during the first year of life. In Ethiopia, however, about 28% and 6% of diarrheal disease hospitalizations and deaths among under-five children are associated with rotavirus, respectively. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate rotavirus coverage and associated factors in a rural population of the northwest, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2019, in Dabat and Gondar Zuria districts, northwest Ethiopia. Data from 603 mothers paired with children aged 12-36 months were collected through house-tohouse visits. Variables having a p-value <0.05 were considered to have a significant association with the outcome. Odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as a measure of association. Results: The prevalence of rotavirus vaccine coverage among children was 76.60% (95% CI; 69.98, 83.22). The dropout rate for rotavirus vaccine dose 2 out of rotavirus vaccine dose 1 was 1.99%. Mothers with formal education [AOR = 3.04; 95% CI: 1.63, 5.67] and received postnatal care [AOR = 4.37; 95% CI: 2.62, 7.27] had higher odds of rotavirus vaccine completion versus those without formal education and had not received postnatal care, respectively. Similarly, mothers who took <1 hour to reach the vaccination center ([AOR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.34, 4.2]) were positive predictors of rotavirus vaccine completion. Conclusion: Rotavirus vaccine coverage in our study area was lower than the expected WHO target. Formal education, postnatal care, and time taken to reach vaccination centers were predictors to achieving full rotavirus vaccine coverage of children. Health-care services utilization after delivery should be intensified to improved child rotavirus vaccine completion in the districts. The long travel time should be dealt with by strengthening outreach services and increasing the number of new vaccination centers in the districts.

Rotavirus vaccination coverage before and during the covid-19 pandemic in Fako division, Cameroon

“…A vaccination rate of 80% is better than the national rate for Cameroon which stood at 65% in 2021 [23]. It is also higher than the 78.60% reported in a study done in two health Districts of Ethiopia [24]. This higher rate in our study area can be accounted for by the huge influx of internally displaced people into our study area, leading to exaggerated figures.…”

Supporting evidence-based rotavirus vaccine introduction decision-making and implementation: Lessons from 8 Gavi-eligible countries

“…Despite this significant global progress, tens of millions of children still lack access to the vaccine [8] . In many settings, RVV coverage lags behind that of other age-indicated vaccines and remains lowest in many of the poorest and hardest-to-reach communities [8] , [28] , [29] , [30] . Especially at the sub-national level, gaps in timely administration of RVV remain, posing a barrier to optimal protection before exposure [30] .…”

Spatial distribution of rotavirus immunization coverage in Ethiopia: a geospatial analysis using the Bayesian approach

“…Ethiopia adopted this recommendation and introduced the Rota vaccine into the national immunization program in 2013 [10]. However, the coverage remains low in Ethiopia and below the 75% national immunization coverage target [13,14].…”

“…Previous studies have identified various factors that affect different immunization coverage such as measles and influenzas. These factors include climatic conditions and access to health facilities [22][23][24][25][26][27]. However, the impacts of these factors on rotavirus immunization coverage are yet to be quantified in Ethiopia [28].…”