Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study

Received: 2 July 2024     Accepted: 20 August 2024     Published: 27 August 2024
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Abstract

Background: Varicella is a respiratory infectious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Varicella vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in preventing varicella disease, however it is not included in Qinghai Province’s local immunization planning program and must be paid for by families. Its use in local areas is options instead of compulsory, so high coverage is difficult to guarantee. Starting in October 2021, one dose of live attenuated varicella vaccine was recommended at lest for 3-17-year-old children in Qinghai. In 2022, it was conducted that an investigation of varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing coverage among children in rural rural and pastoral areas to determine the impact of this VarV catch-up policy. Objective: To explore varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing caverage among 3-17-year-old children in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select children aged 3-17 years from kindergartens and primary /secondary schools in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province for a questionnaire-based survey of their guardians. Coverage levels of one and two doses of VarV (VarV1 and VarV2) before and after a catch-up vaccination activity initiated in October 2021, and identified factors influenceing VarV1 coverage. Results: VarV1 and VarV2 coverage levels after the catch-up activity were 79.06% (676/855) and 43.79% (363/829), respectively, and increased by 34.38 and 24.13 percentage points compared with before the catch-up activity. Multivariate logistic regression showed that VarV1 coverage was higher in rural areas than in pastoral areas (OR=4.63, 95%CI: 2.91-7.39), and higher among children whose guardians scored 4-6 or 7-10 points on knowledge about varicella and VarV than among children whose guardians scored 0-3 points (OR=8.61, 95%CI: 4.73-15.69, OR=2.86, 95%CI: 1.69-4.84). the main reasons for non-vaccination were guardians’ lack of understanding of VarV (48.6%, 87 children), guardians’ unawarness of the need for VarV vaccination (43.6%, 78 children), and unavailability of VarV at vaccination centers (31.3%, 56 children). Conclusions: The catch-up activity significantly increased VarV coverage among children in the surveyed areas. It should been strengthened that health education on knowledge about varicella and VarV among guardians of children in Qinghai, especially in pastoral areas, to promote VarV vaccination of age-eligible children.

Published in World Journal of Public Health (Volume 9, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15
Page(s) 271-277
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Varicella Vaccine, Coverage, Influencing Factor, Rural and Pastoral Areas, Children

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Bingju, G., Zengping, H., Wengsheng, B., Xianglu, Z., Yanmei, M., et al. (2024). Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study. World Journal of Public Health, 9(3), 271-277. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15

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    ACS Style

    Bingju, G.; Zengping, H.; Wengsheng, B.; Xianglu, Z.; Yanmei, M., et al. Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study. World J. Public Health 2024, 9(3), 271-277. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15

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    AMA Style

    Bingju G, Zengping H, Wengsheng B, Xianglu Z, Yanmei M, et al. Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study. World J Public Health. 2024;9(3):271-277. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15,
      author = {Guan Bingju and Hao Zengping and Ba Wengsheng and Zhu Xianglu and Ma Yanmei and Li Lianwei and Xie Qingyu and A Kezhong},
      title = {Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study
    },
      journal = {World Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {9},
      number = {3},
      pages = {271-277},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20240903.15},
      abstract = {Background: Varicella is a respiratory infectious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Varicella vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in preventing varicella disease, however it is not included in Qinghai Province’s local immunization planning program and must be paid for by families. Its use in local areas is options instead of compulsory, so high coverage is difficult to guarantee. Starting in October 2021, one dose of live attenuated varicella vaccine was recommended at lest for 3-17-year-old children in Qinghai. In 2022, it was conducted that an investigation of varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing coverage among children in rural rural and pastoral areas to determine the impact of this VarV catch-up policy. Objective:  To explore varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing caverage among 3-17-year-old children in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select children aged 3-17 years from kindergartens and primary /secondary schools in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province for a questionnaire-based survey of their guardians. Coverage levels of one and two doses of VarV (VarV1 and VarV2) before and after a catch-up vaccination activity initiated in October 2021, and identified factors influenceing VarV1 coverage. Results: VarV1 and VarV2 coverage levels after the catch-up activity were 79.06% (676/855) and 43.79% (363/829), respectively, and increased by 34.38 and 24.13 percentage points compared with before the catch-up activity. Multivariate logistic regression showed that VarV1 coverage was higher in rural areas than in pastoral areas (OR=4.63, 95%CI: 2.91-7.39), and higher among children whose guardians scored 4-6 or 7-10 points on knowledge about varicella and VarV than among children whose guardians scored 0-3 points (OR=8.61, 95%CI: 4.73-15.69, OR=2.86, 95%CI: 1.69-4.84). the main reasons for non-vaccination were guardians’ lack of understanding of VarV (48.6%, 87 children), guardians’ unawarness of the need for VarV vaccination (43.6%, 78 children), and unavailability of VarV at vaccination centers (31.3%, 56 children). Conclusions: The catch-up activity significantly increased VarV coverage among children in the surveyed areas. It should been strengthened that health education on knowledge about varicella and VarV among guardians of children in Qinghai, especially in pastoral areas, to promote VarV vaccination of age-eligible children.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study
    
    AU  - Guan Bingju
    AU  - Hao Zengping
    AU  - Ba Wengsheng
    AU  - Zhu Xianglu
    AU  - Ma Yanmei
    AU  - Li Lianwei
    AU  - Xie Qingyu
    AU  - A Kezhong
    Y1  - 2024/08/27
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15
    T2  - World Journal of Public Health
    JF  - World Journal of Public Health
    JO  - World Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 271
    EP  - 277
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2637-6059
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240903.15
    AB  - Background: Varicella is a respiratory infectious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Varicella vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in preventing varicella disease, however it is not included in Qinghai Province’s local immunization planning program and must be paid for by families. Its use in local areas is options instead of compulsory, so high coverage is difficult to guarantee. Starting in October 2021, one dose of live attenuated varicella vaccine was recommended at lest for 3-17-year-old children in Qinghai. In 2022, it was conducted that an investigation of varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing coverage among children in rural rural and pastoral areas to determine the impact of this VarV catch-up policy. Objective:  To explore varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing caverage among 3-17-year-old children in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select children aged 3-17 years from kindergartens and primary /secondary schools in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province for a questionnaire-based survey of their guardians. Coverage levels of one and two doses of VarV (VarV1 and VarV2) before and after a catch-up vaccination activity initiated in October 2021, and identified factors influenceing VarV1 coverage. Results: VarV1 and VarV2 coverage levels after the catch-up activity were 79.06% (676/855) and 43.79% (363/829), respectively, and increased by 34.38 and 24.13 percentage points compared with before the catch-up activity. Multivariate logistic regression showed that VarV1 coverage was higher in rural areas than in pastoral areas (OR=4.63, 95%CI: 2.91-7.39), and higher among children whose guardians scored 4-6 or 7-10 points on knowledge about varicella and VarV than among children whose guardians scored 0-3 points (OR=8.61, 95%CI: 4.73-15.69, OR=2.86, 95%CI: 1.69-4.84). the main reasons for non-vaccination were guardians’ lack of understanding of VarV (48.6%, 87 children), guardians’ unawarness of the need for VarV vaccination (43.6%, 78 children), and unavailability of VarV at vaccination centers (31.3%, 56 children). Conclusions: The catch-up activity significantly increased VarV coverage among children in the surveyed areas. It should been strengthened that health education on knowledge about varicella and VarV among guardians of children in Qinghai, especially in pastoral areas, to promote VarV vaccination of age-eligible children.
    
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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