ABSTRACT

Christine Joy D. Esperida, Dannica E. Estrellado, Louie L. Gabarda “COMPLIANCE WITH EXPANDED PROGRAM ON IMMUNIZATION (EPI) IN BARANGAY 25 LAPU-LAPU, LEGAZPI CITY” (An undergraduate Thesis, Aquinas University College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Rawis, Legazpi City, SY 2013-2014)

This study aimed to determine the compliance with EPI of mothers in Baranga 25, Lapu-Lapu, Legazpi City. This was conducted to determine which factor has the mosteffect on the compliance of mothers. The City Health Office of Legazpi City stated that according to the target client list of the Midwife in Barangay 25 Lapu- Lapu, this Barangay has the least number of compliance with theEPI in Legazpi City. This topic has significance to the EPI for the fully immunized children.

The scope of the study focused mainly on the compliance of 62 respondents on the EPI who are mothers of the infant or children from 0-7 years of age in three Puroks inBarangay Lapu- Lapu, Legazpi City who are responsible to ensure that such infant or child is presented for basic immunizationat such place and time as specified by the Department of Health. The demographic profiles of the respondents were covered by this studies which are age, highest educational attainment, monthly family income and occupation. This study focused on the vaccines complied by the children of the respondents and the factors that affected the compliance on EPIin Barangay 25 LapuLapu, Legazpi City. The study included the mothers who had infant or children from 0-7 years old andare responsible for submitting the child to basic immunization as specified by theR.A. 10152.

The study is beneficial to the infants and children, mothers, Barangay Health Worker (BHW), Barangay Officials Committee on Health, City Health Office of Legazpi City, Government Health Agencies such as the Department of Health and local health centers , other Barangays of Legazpi City, schools and colleges of nursing, nursing students, and future researchers. The data gathered came from primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were the structured self-constructed questionnaires and checklist that were distributed to the 62 respondents. The secondary source of data was attained from the review of records provided by the City Health Office of Legazpi City regarding the target client list of compliance onthe EPI and the record of the Barangay health workers.

The research utilized the self-constructed survey questionnaire using checklist prepared by the researchers which served as the main instrument of the study. The interpretation and analysis of data were done through the use of statistical tools such as frequency distribution tables were used to determine the class or group and interval on each variable that was facilitated tally and source of interpretation on this study. Percentage was used for the interpretation of the demographic profile of the respondents, their vaccines complied and factors affecting the compliance with expanded program, on immunization. Specifically, this study sought to determine the answers to the following sub-problems:1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:a. Age,b. Highest Educational Attainment, c. Monthly Family Income, d. Occupation. 2. What the vaccines complied by the children of the respondents regarding the EPI 3. What the factors that affect the compliance on the EPI.4. What measures may be proposed to improve compliance to EPI. he study arrived at the following findings:(l) The highest ranking age groups of the respondents were the age ranging 19-22 with 27.42% and the are lowest ranking age group were ranging from 27-30 with 6.45%, most of the respondents were housewives. Twenty-one or 33.87% of the respondents were high school graduates and unemployed. Seventeen or 27.42% of the respondents had a monthly family income ranging from Php 500-1000; (2) Majority of the respondents fully complied to submit their child for vaccination; 62 respondents or 100% preferred to immunize their child.

There were 62 respondents who availed of the Bacillus Calmette-Gucrin (BCG) completely complied. The DPT and OPV revealed that majority of the respondents completely complied. The measles vaccines showthat 60 of the respondents completely complied and 2 of respondents did not. For the Hepa B, 58 of the respondents completely complied and 4 of respondent did not. The Rotarix as a new vaccine result has only 7 respondents who completely complied and 55 did not and the Pentavalent vaccine completely complied with a result of 7 respondents and 55 of them did not. (3) Significant results revealed that most of the respondents believed that vaccines can protect children from getting diseases with a frequency of 62 out of 62 respondents and ranked as number one. Further, 59 of the respondents believed that vaccines can keep their children healthy and fully immunized. This ranked second. Contrary to this result,
indicates that no respondents believethat vaccines are not effective.

The conclusions are as follows: (1) Most of the respondents from 19-22 years old were housewives. Most of them were high school undergraduate. They had a family monthly income ranging from Php 500-1000 and most of them were housewives; (2) most of the mothers completely complied, and (3) most of the respondents have indicated that they strongly agreed that their compliance will keep their child healthy and fully immunized and be protected from diseases; lastly (4) several measures to improve the compliance of mothers on EPI were proposed. were Finally the recommendations of the study are as follows: (1) Given that majority of the respondents were on their early adulthood, housewives, attained secondary level of education only and belonged to the low income earner families, it is highly recommended that health care workers provide more information on responsible parenthood in relation to childhood immunization, (2) On findings that most of the respondents have complete compliance on the KPI, the health care providers responsible in educating them must be well-equipped with knowledge and skills, particularly the midwives and Barangay health workers who serve as the front liners in the promotion of health in community setting. The City Health Office should see to it that their health care providers had undergone trainings and seminars to efficiently and competently educate the mothers pertaining to immunization. (3) Since majority of respondents believe vaccines can protect children from the seven immunizable diseases and it can enhance the intelligence of children, further knowledge regarding immunization could also be made available through distribution of Information Education Communication (IEC) materials such as pamphlets, brochures and other information materials. Posting slogans on strategic places is likewise helpful, and (4) all proposed measures are highly recommended to be carried out by the health care providers for effective promotion of childhood immunization, thereby increase the percentage of fully immunized children. The areas for further studies were as follows: (1) Rural parents' perspectives about information on child immunization; (2) An assessment of the impact of health education maternal knowledge and practices of childhood immunization; (3) Knowledge and practices of Barangay health workers in handling vaccines; (4) Effectiveness of Information Educational Campaign (IEC), and (5) Strategies to enhance the compliance on with EPI