Coverage and factors associated with receiving campaign polio vaccines in an urban population in Guinea-Bissau

Abstract

Background: Polio eradication campaigns are intended to complement routine immunization. Studies addressing factors associated with campaign coverage are warranted to identify children missed by campaigns.

Methods: Bandim Health Project runs demographic surveillance with registration of routine immunization and campaign participation data in urban Guinea-Bissau. We assessed coverage and factors associated with receiving campaign polio vaccines in children aged 0-35 months in two polio eradication campaigns conducted in 2017 and 2018 using univariate and multivariate regression models.

Results: Campaign coverage reached 84% in 2017 and 88% in 2018. We found lower coverage among children of young and not formally educated mothers in univariate analyses; Children <9 months and Fula children had lower campaign coverage in both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Conclusions: To increase campaign coverage in urban Guinea-Bissau attention may be directed at informing young mothers, mothers of young children, mothers without formal education, and the Fula ethnic group about campaigns.

Keywords: Immunization coverage; Oral polio vaccine; Supplementary immunization activities.