Effect Of Interpersonal Communication Training Program On Child's Immunization Among Mothers Living In Kebbi State Of...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Education
• Maternal and Child Health

Background:

• Health education training for mothers on child vaccination improves outcomes and coverage.
• Interpersonal communication (IPC) is a key strategy in health education.
• Previous interventions highlight the importance of information sharing for better immunization rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an IPC training program on mothers' knowledge of child vaccination.
• To assess the effect of IPC training on routine childhood immunization uptake.
• To determine the effectiveness of IPC in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study conducted in two local government areas (LGAs) of Kebbi State, Nigeria.
• 420 mothers were divided into intervention and control groups (n=210 each).
• Data collected via vaccination cards and verbal reports; analyzed using Independent t test and Chi-square.

Main Results:

• Mean knowledge scores significantly improved in the intervention group (p<0.001).
• Fully immunized children increased to 53.8% in the intervention group vs. 9.5% in the control group (p<0.001).
• Unimmunized children decreased to 29.5% in the intervention group vs. 57.6% in the control group.

Conclusions:

• IPC skills training is an effective intervention for improving maternal knowledge on child vaccination.
• IPC enhances routine childhood immunization uptake, demonstrating a sustainable service model.
• Face-to-face education, social mobilization, and reminder services are crucial for immunization coverage.