Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Caregivers Towards Routine Immunisation in Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
Abstract
A descriptive cross sectional study assessed caregivers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward routine childhood immunisation in selected riverine wards of Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Multistage cluster sampling recruited caregivers of under five children; analysis used 389 valid records. Most respondents were female (83.8%) and mothers (68.6%). Over one third (37.2%) reported travel time to their usual immunisation site exceeding one hour. On the survey day, 50.9% presented a physical immunisation card. Knowledge (12 point scale) averaged 7.67 ± 2.34, with 57.3% classified as having good knowledge. While 68.1% were aware of the vaccine card’s usefulness, notable gaps existed: 59.4% lacked correct knowledge about tuberculosis prevention and 58.6% did not recognise post vaccination fever as a normal reaction. Attitude (60 point scale) averaged 41.04 ± 7.02; respondents were nearly evenly split between favourable (50.1%) and unfavourable (49.9%) attitudes, showing pronounced ambivalence about vaccine safety and potential harm. Practice (60 point scale) averaged 43.43 ± 8.73, with 51.7% demonstrating good practice. Key lapses included poor proactive appointment tracking, few intra household reminders, and low rates of returning promptly after missed appointments. Educational attainment was the only socio demographic factor significantly associated with all three KAP domains (p < 0.05): caregivers with tertiary education had the highest rates of good knowledge (78.0%), favourable attitude (62.2%), and good practice (69.5%) compared with those with no formal or only primary schooling. Other variables (age, parity, marital status, religion) showed no significant independent associations. The study concludes that caregivers in Brass LGA exhibit a fragile, middle tier KAP profile, with attitudes weakest; it recommends more proactive clinical counselling (normalising mild side effects) and practical systems to improve card retention and appointment follow up in riverine settings.