Assessment of pregnant women's knowledge about tetanus toxoid vaccination in Karbala City

الملخص EN

Objectives of the study : Assess pregnant women's knowledge about tetanus toxoid vaccination, to find out the relationship between pregnant women's knowledge and some variables which included: (age, level of education, occupational status, socio-economic level, gravidity, parity, following visits of antenatal care, tetanus toxoid vaccination coverage).

Methods and Materials : Descriptive analytic study conducted on multistage probabilistic sample of 130 pregnant women during period from 30th January 2012 to the 24th April 2013 was carried out in the six primary health care centers at Karbala city.

The questionnaire was consisted of four parts which include of: socio- demographic characteristics, reproductive information, knowledge about tetanus toxoid vaccination, sources of information regarding tetanus toxoid vaccine.

Content validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined through pilot study, descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results : The results of the study showed that highest percentage (29.2%) of study sample were at age group (20-24) years, (31.5 %) of them were not read and write, and (97.7 %) of them were housewives.

The highest percentage (68.5 %) of them were living in low socio-economic level, the highest percentage (50.8 %) of study sample were had (2–4) pregnancies, and (40.8 %) of them were had (2-4) deliveries, (72.3 %) of them have irregular visits to antenatal care, (76.2 %) of them have partial vaccination coverage.

Their knowledge were adequate in some items, and inadequate in other items, (72.3 %) of them were not provided with information about tetanus toxoid vaccine about it, (61.11 %) of women that provided with information answered ; doctors were source of their information.

There were statistical significant association between level of knowledge and (Level of education and Tetanus toxoid vaccination coverage) with probability value ≤ 0.05.

Recommendations : The study recommended to enhance women's knowledge on tetanus by using the various mass media to increase the coverage of tetanus toxoid.

Encouraging the pregnant women to have regular antenatal care visits which consider the cause to contact with sources of tetanus toxoid and hence increase the chance of vaccination.