Immunisation and Its Adverse Effects: Experience of Mothers in South Western, Nigeria

Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) is a critical component of the immunisation program. Serious or even non-serious adverse events following immunisation are often deemed unacceptable by vaccinees, parents and the general public, thus it has become increasingly important to pay attention to vaccine safety. It is vital to establish caregivers' perceptions on AEFI and how they influence their decisions to vaccinate children. This study is to assess caregivers' knowledge and practices on AEFI. This comparative qualitative study was carried out among household in rural and urban communities in Ekiti and Oyo States, southwestern Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guide used to elicit information from the participants. Four sessions of FGDs were conducted with 37 participants. Data were analyzed using ATLAS ti version 7; and results were presented in tables and prose. Majority of the respondents were female, married, Yoruba tribe and are Christians. Majority of the respondents had tertiary education in the urban groups while more respondents without formal education are prevalent in the rural area. Knowledge level on AEFI was above average with fair practices of managing AEFI. There are different practices among the urban and rural communities.