Mothers' concept of measles and attitudes towards the measles vaccine in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

The attitude of Nigerian mothers, mainly Yoruba, towards measles vaccine and other aspects of prevention are influenced by different perceptions of the cause of measles. There is a significant correlation between the literacy of mothers and their belief in the efficacy of measles vaccine but not between their ages and belief. The mothers' perception of measles is a function of their socioeconomic characteristics, with the lower socioeconomic group tending more to define measles within the supernatural context. The findings indicate the necessity for health education to be based on local culture when promoting vaccination.