AGE APPROPRIATE IMMUNIZATION DOSES IN IRAQI CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 2 YEARS

• Published in: Archives of pharmacy practice Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 75
• Main Authors: Al-lela, Omer Q B, Bahari, Mohd Baidi, Al-abbassi, Mustafa G, Salih, Muhannad R M, Basher, Amena Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Selangor Monash University Malaysia, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science 01.01.2012; Archives of Global Professionals
• Subjects: Age; Children & youth; Immunization; Baghdad Iraq; Malaysia; Iraq
• ISSN: 2320-5210; 2045-080X; 2045-080X

In Iraq, a child younger than two years requires 7 combination doses or 15 individual doses of vaccine to be protected against 9 infectious diseases. The aim is to evaluate immunization practice in Iraq. A cohort study of 528 children born between 1st January 2003 and 31 Jun 2008 was selected to ensure completeness of immunization histories. Immunization history of child was collected retrospectively from immunization card This study was restricted the analyses to types of vaccines administered before age 2 years. Immunization doses were classified to five types: Age-appropriate dose was administered at recommended age, Early dose was administered before the recommended age, Missed dose which child didn't receive it, Late dose was given later than the recommended age, and Extra dose which child received more than the recommended number of doses. When the child was received all the immunization doses without any missed immunization dose that considered as complete immunization, while if this child received at least one missed immunization dose, this child was considered partial immunization. 286 children were complete immunization. While less than half of children were considered as partial immunization. 3696 immunization doses received by 528 children, 25.3% of doses were age-appropriate doses, 8.3% as an early doses, 13.6% as a missed doses, 47.5% of doses were late doses, and 5.3% as an extra doses. This study recommended increase in effort to decrease the immunization errors and to optimize childhood infectious disease prevention.