@Article{, title={Incomplete Vaccination among Children below Two Years in a sample of urban Primary Health Care Centers at Al-Karkh Baghdad City}, author={Lamia Dhia AlDeen and Lena Mustafa Abbas}, journal={IRAQI JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE المجلة العراقية لطب المجتمع}, volume={29}, number={3}, pages={139-145}, year={2016}, abstract={Background: Vaccines are among the most cost effective tools available for preventing some infectious diseases and their possible complications and squeals. A target of (90%) of immunization coverage is necessary for sustained control of vaccine preventable diseases.Objectives of The Study: To determine the reasons of incomplete vaccination as well as to identify factors that contributed to missed opportunities for vaccination among children less than two years of age in Baghdad city. Method: A cross sectional study with an analytic element, was conducted in the period from the beginning of March to the end of July 2015. A convenient sample of. Data were collected from a sample of children attending the Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in Al-Karkh Baghdad city for immunization by a direct interview with their mothers using a special structural questionnaire sheets, the immunization card was utilized to check for completeness of immunization schedule for each child.Results: A sample of 820 children was collected. The proportion of incomplete vaccination was (22.3%). Males showed higher proportions of incomplete vaccination (55.7%) than females (44.3%). There were direct and indirect reasons for incomplete vaccination, the main direct reasons were Social events and busy family (63.4%), change the place of residence; internal and external displacement (35.5%), and child illness (24.6%). Indirect reasons include low mother`s and father`s education, and large family size. Missed opportunities for vaccination represent (15.8%) and were mainly due to sick child or unavailable vaccine. (Children might have more than one reason)Conclusion: The study revealed that the percentage of vaccination was higher than that found in Iraq at 2015, but still did not reach the level of the developed countries.

} }