Mother’s knowledge and attitudes regarding poliomyelitis eradication among a sample in Bab Al Muadham health centre in Baghdad city, Iraq

Abstract

Objective: To determine knowledge and attitude and practice of mothers towards poliomyelitis vaccination.
Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 to March 2020 at Bab Al-Moadham Health
Centre, Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised mothers regardless of age who were visiting the child care unit with at least 1
child aged <5 years. Data was collected through a questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS 10.
Results: There were 150 mothers with a mean age of 31.08±9.31 years. The largest age group was 20-29 years 90(60%)
(p<0.05). There were 100(66.6%) subjects from urban areas, and 67(44.6%) had at least a college degree (p<0.05). The
most common source of information was television 110(73.3%), and 135(90%) subjects agreed that polio vaccine for
the child was a necessity. Overall assessment of the sample was good, with a percentile global means of the score
value of 50.30±9.81.
Conclusion: Urban, educated and working mothers aged 20-29 years were more knowledgeable about polio than the rest.
Keywords: Health, Knowledge, Attitudes, Poliomyelitis, Vaccination, Eradication.