Determinants of the Uptake of Tetanus Toxoid Among Secondary School Girls in Kisenyu Parishes, Kampala Central Division.

Abstract

Introduction: Tetanus toxoid (T.T) is an inactivated vaccine (antigen) that is given to women of childbearing age (15 years to 49 years) to protect the unborn child from neonatal tetanus. Tetanus toxoid is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women and neonates in developing countries (WHO, 2015). Tetanus vaccines are among the most frequently used vaccines worldwide and have been remarkably successful products. The ideal situation would be that all girls aged 13-19 years have to be vaccinated against tetanus. However, the trend for TT coverage in the all districts of Uganda was 33% in 2005, 41% in 2006, 51% in 2007, 40% in 2008 and 53% in 2009, in 2010,53%, in 2011 in 65% and in 2012 in 85%. Although this trend might indicate an increased uptake of TT vaccination, the actual uptake remains low since the ideal coverage should be 85% or more of the target population to reduce the risk of tetanus.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study involving the use of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. This study design is suitable for this study mainly because the researcher seeks at one point in time to establish the prevalence of uptake of tetanus toxoid vaccine as well as identify specific factors influencing the uptake of TT among Secondary school going girls in Kisenyi parishes, in Kampala central division.

Results: The study involved a total of 227 respondents; with a response rate of (216/227), 95% and only (11/227) 5% did not respond. Majority of the respondents, 155 (72%) had never taken a tetanus toxoid vaccination. Only 61 (28%) had taken the tetanus toxoid vaccination. Discussion: The level of uptake of tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination was low among the secondary school going girls in Kisenyi parishes. Only 61 (28%) of the girls involved in the sample population reported to have taken a TT vaccination at the time of the study.

Conclusions: Most of the secondary school-going girls were likely not to complete the recommend 4 doses of TT vaccination since majority of the girls who had taken the vaccine had only done so once for the first dose.

Recommendations: The government and health workers ought to health educate both the girls and their parents on the importance TT vaccination such that they can understand the importance of TT vaccination as well as the consequences of not taking up the vaccination.