Modeling of data from India’s National Family Health Survey-3 indicated that vaccinations against DPT, polio and measles were significant positive predictors of a child’s height, weight and hemoglobin concentration. This was ascertained post modeling of data obtained from over 25,000 children.
Health
Immunization with rotavirus vaccine may also reduce severe gastroenteritis cases in unimmunized children through herd immunity
A meta-analysis of studies measuring the impact of rotavirus vaccine (RVV) on severe gastroenteritis morbidity and mortality, found a 22% herd immunity effect for severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in children less than one year of age in US and El Salvador. In Latin America, severe gastroenteritis due to any cause was reduced by 25%.
Chronically malnourished children are less likely to receive proper vacccination dosage
In urban residents in the Democratic Republic of Congo, chronically malnourished children were less likely to have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine compared to healthy children.
Poverty negatively affects the timing of vaccines given to children
In Tanzania, poverty was found to have a negative effect on receiving vaccines on time (at the recommended age). Children in the wealthiest quintile experienced 19% fewer delays for BCG vaccination, 23% fewer delays for the third dose of DTP vaccination, and 31% fewer delays for the first dose of measles-containing vaccine compared to children of the poorest quintile.
Location of health facilities drastially affects the immunization of children
Children in Tanzania living 5 km or greater distance from the nearest healthcare facility were less likely to be immunized than children living less than 5 km from facilities. Compared to children living close a health facility, children far from a health facility had almost three times the risk of missing out on BCG, 84% higher risk of missing the third dose of DTP, and 48% higher risk of missing the first dose of measles-containing vaccine. Of children who did receive BCG, those living more than 5 km from facilities were 26% more likely to received BCG vaccine late than children close to the facility.
Babies whose mothers are vaccinated against rubella before pregnancy are protected from permanent disabilities
Mothers infected with rubella virus during the first trimester of pregnancy can give birth to children with permanent disabilities such as intellectual impairment, autism, blindness, deafness, and cardiac defects. The infection is completely preventable if mothers are vaccinated before pregnancy.
Children of uneducated mothers may be at greater risk of death than children of educated mothers
Across many South Asian and sub-Saharan African countries, children of mothers who received no formal education were nearly 3 times as likely to die before reaching age 5 as those born to mothers with some secondary education.
The empowerment of women is associated with higher odds of childhood vaccinations
A systematic review of studies from countries in Africa and Southeast Asia investigated the relationship between a woman’s “agency” (defined as the woman’s ability to state her goals and to act upon them with motivation and purpose) and childhood immunizations in lower-income settings. The review found a general pattern among studies in which higher agency among mothers was associated with higher odds of childhood immunizations. Empowering women in these settings shows promise as a means to improve child health.
Malnourished children are at a greater risk of death from vaccine-preventable diseases
Findings of a systematic review evaluating the relationship between pneumonia and malnourishment found that severely malnourished children in developing countries had 2.5 to 15 times the risk of death. For children with moderate malnutrition, the risk of death ranged from 1.2 to 36.
Universal immunization in India led to improved child growth
Children enrolled in Universal Immunization Programs observe improvements in terms of age-appropriate height and weight as per results of a study focused on 4 year old children in India. On an average height and weight deficits were reduced by 22-25% and 15% respectively.