Abstract

Background: Immunization is one of the most important programmes which contributed to the prevention of major childhood diseases. A high coverage rate is desirable for the effectiveness of this programme.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of immunization coverage rate among children aged 12 to 23 months in Basrah during 2014-2015. Also, to explore the vaccination dropout rate and the causes of partially immunization.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was done in 30 clusters that followed the World Health Organization cluster sampling technique. Data were collected via direct interview with 300 mothers using an Arabic language questionnaire and the data were analyzed using SPSS programme.
Results: The vaccination coverage rate in this study was 80.7% and the dropout rate was 19.3%, which is rather high while the main causes of the dropout were difficulties facing mothers' attendance to Primary Health Care centers (50%) and lack of information (31%).
Conclusions: The results of the current study showed that although the coverage rate of immunization was adequate, the dropout rate was high and the important reasons for that were inadequate awareness and inconvenience timing for mothers. In addition, literacy status and occupation of mothers, child birth order and family type were other reasons.