Household-reported non-completion of childhood vaccination inTogo: sociodemographic and consumption-related patterns in EHCVM 2021–2022 A cross-sectional secondary analysis of a national living standards survey
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Background Assessing household reports of childhood vaccination may reveal equity-related patterns, but such reports must not be mistaken for age-appropriate vaccination status. We investigated sociodemographic and consumption-related correlates of respondents' answers to a broad vaccination-completion question among children aged 12–59 months in Togo, and described the stated reasons for negative answers. Methods We analysed the 2021–2022 EHCVM using a two-category respondent-reported outcome (yes/no to receipt of all compulsory vaccines), survey-weighted descriptive estimates and multivariable logistic regression. Covariates included child age and sex, maternal schooling, household head characteristics, region, residence, survey wave and five national per capita consumption quintiles. The survey item contains no verified antigen- or dose-specific histories and does not permit age-appropriate under-vaccination to be identified. Six maternal education codes were recategorised after investigator clarification; exclusion of these records was assessed in a sensitivity analysis. Results Among 3,173 resident children aged 12–59 months, 790 had a negative household response (survey-weighted 24.1%, 95% CI 21.8–26.5). This percentage represents reported non-completion, not verified under-vaccination. Compared with children aged 48–59 months, those aged 12–23 months had higher adjusted odds of a negative response (aOR 4.00, 95% CI 2.94–5.43); Q2 versus Q5 consumption was also associated (aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.31–3.27). Overall tests were p = 0.002 for consumption quintile, p = 0.133 for region and p = 0.393 for maternal schooling. Among children with a negative response, 81.2% (weighted) selected 'not yet reached the age limit'; this response cannot establish that a dose was overdue. Conclusions Around one in four children received a negative household report of receipt of all compulsory vaccines, but the estimate cannot be interpreted as the prevalence of age-inappropriate or overdue vaccination. The strong age pattern and frequent age-limit response make validation against the national schedule and dated vaccination records essential before inferring true gaps. Consumption-related differences describe reporting patterns and should be regarded as exploratory rather than causal or programmatically diagnostic. Clinical trial registration Not applicable. This observational secondary analysis did not allocate interventions and is not a clinical trial.
Source: Research Square
Institutions: Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Université Clermont Auvergne
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225815259