THE ACCURACY OF MOTHERS' REPORTS OF CHILD VACCINATION: EVIDENCE FROM RURAL EGYPT
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Date
2006-08-01T19:58:42Z
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Abstract
Estimates of immunization coverage in developing countries are typically made on a "card plus
history" basis, combining information obtained from vaccination cards with information from
mothers' reports, for children for whom such cards are not available. A recent multi-round survey
in rural lower Egypt was able to test the accuracy of mothers' reports for a subset of children
whose cards were not seen at round 1 of the survey but were seen a year later at round 3.
Comparisons of the unsubstantiated reports at round 1 with information recorded from cards seen
at round 3 indicate that mothers' reports are of very high quality; mothers' reports at round 1 were
confirmed by card data at round 3 for between 83 and 98 percent, depending on vaccine, of
children aged 12-23 and 24-35 months at round 3. The number of incorrect "Not Vaccinated"
answers is higher than the number of incorrect "Vaccinated" responses, suggesting that, at least
in this setting, "card plus history" based estimates slightly underestimate true coverage levels.
Most of the inconsistencies between round 1 and round 3 data apparently arose from interviewer
or data processing error rather than from misreporting by mothers.
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EGPYT, VACCINATION