Determinants of tetanus toxoid immunization of parturient women: a community-based study in Rivers State of Nigeria.

A community-based study carried out in the Rivers State of Nigeria on tetanus toxoid immunization status of parturient women showed a complete, partial and no coverage status of 41.2, 17.0 and 41.8 per cent respectively of women surveyed. Formal education to the secondary school level was very strongly associated with complete coverage status (p < 0.001). Also of importance was the peculiar geographical terrain of the state since the place of obstacles as a negative factor was significantly more pronounced among the riverine community (p < 0.001). Generally, communities in the state will require more logistics support than elsewhere in the country for any intervention measure to have an appreciable impact and on the long term the institution of measures aimed at raising the literacy level of the population as a whole will bring about overall improvement in the vaccine coverage in the state.