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Vaccination timing of low-birth-weight infants in rural Ghana: a population-based, prospective cohort study

Maureen O'Leary1, Sara Thomas1, Lisa Hurt2

  • 1Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London, WC1E 7HT, England .

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
|June 9, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Low-birth-weight infants in Ghana experience significant delays in receiving diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccinations. Factors like younger maternal age and distance to health facilities contribute to these vaccination gaps.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Low birth weight is a significant risk factor for infant health complications.
  • Timely vaccination is crucial for preventing infectious diseases in infants.
  • Understanding vaccination delays in vulnerable populations is essential for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate delays in diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP1 and DTP3) vaccination among low-birth-weight infants in Ghana.
  • To identify maternal and infant characteristics associated with these vaccination delays.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from a large, population-based vitamin A trial (2010-2013) with 22,955 infants.
  • Compared vaccination rates of low-birth-weight infants (categorized by weight) with non-low-birth-weight infants (≥2.5 kg).
  • Employed Poisson regression to calculate adjusted rate ratios for DTP1 and DTP3 vaccination timing.

Main Results:

  • Low-birth-weight infants had significantly lower DTP1 vaccination rates at 10 and 18 weeks (aRR 0.58 and 0.63, respectively).
  • Infants weighing 1.5-1.9 kg showed approximately 25% lower vaccination rates compared to infants ≥2.5 kg.
  • Similar delays were observed for DTP3 vaccination; lower maternal age, education, and greater distance to health facilities were associated with lower vaccination rates.

Conclusions:

  • Low-birth-weight infants represent a high-risk group for delayed DTP vaccination in Ghana.
  • Targeted efforts are needed to improve vaccination uptake in this vulnerable population.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific reasons behind these vaccination delays.
Abstract

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