ABSTRACT

In1989, World Health Assembly (WHA) resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis from the world by

year 2000. By 2008 only 4 countries were still endemic for Wild Polio Virus (WPV) namely

Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nigeria the only African country still endemic for polio

exported WPV to neighboring countries previously declared polio free. To break WPV

transmission, Nigeria adopted Immunization Plus Days (IPD) a strategy used to deliver OPV

(Oral Polio Virus) together with other vaccines as well as other child survival health

interventions. Refusal of vaccination by parents or guardian of children eligible for polio

vaccination (Non compliance) threatened to undermine polio eradication drive. This study was

constructed to determine the socio-demographic correlates of non-compliant households during

IPD as compared with controls in Sokoto north and Sokoto south of Sokoto state and to compare

the knowledge, attitude and practice on IPD of heads of non-compliant house-holds and that of

their controls. Finally an assessment for other risk factors associated with non-compliance in

Sokoto north and south LGA was done

The study was case-control with 124 study participants (62 cases and 62 controls). Cases were

defined as “House-hold refusing OPV vaccination in last three rounds of IPD in Sokoto north

and south local governments”, while controls were “House-holds to the right of the cases

allowing OPV vaccination”. Study participants were interviewed with a pre-designed

questionnaire with sections on socio-demographics, media habits, knowledge of IPD, and

reasons for refusal

A total of 130 interviews were conducted out of which 9 were disqualified. The mean age of cases

(47.7years) and controls (44.3 years) were similar (χ2 = 1.81, p=0.179, df = 1). Cases were more

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