Factors Associated with Immunization Status among Myanmar Migrant Children Aged 1-2 Years in Tak Province, Thailand

Abstract

Immunization is a successful and cost-effective method to decrease child mortality and morbidity caused by severe diseases. United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) goals by 2010 were 90% of under 1 year of age children fully immunized at the national level, with at least 80% coverage in every district. According to Tak Provincial Health Office data, there were about 200,000 Myanmar migrants living in four Thai-Myanmar border areas. Occurrence of vaccine-preventable disease was reported, and immunization coverage was low in children under 1 year old who lived in these areas. The was to characterize the associations of maternal knowledge, and of health services regarding immunization, with immunization status of Myanmar migrant children aged 1-2 years in Tak. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a structured questionnaire and interviewing 386 Myanmar migrant mothers living in the four Thai–Myanmar border areas mentioned above. The overall coverage of under 1 year routine immunization was 56.7%. The overall Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) coverage among Myanmar migrant age 1-2 years living in the study area was lower than the average EPI coverage of Thai children in the same area. Level of knowledge regarding immunization, source of information, content of information, language barriers to receiving information, health education and its content during immunization service were associated with immunization status of the children. Local health service providers and related agencies need to be aware of appropriate approaches and services to different subpopulations. Collaboration among government, private agencies, communities, and voluntary sectors is needed to strengthen the Expand Program on Immunization in the migrant community.