BACKGROUND: On-time vaccination reduces child mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases, an ongoing cause of death in under-five. Vaccination coverage in Ethiopia remains low, and evaluating its timeliness is crucial. However, there is a paucity of data in the study area. Most previous studies focused on maternal and child factors, while father involvement in vaccination is understudied. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess timely vaccination coverage and associated factors among children aged 12-23 months in Arba Minch town, Ethiopia, 2024. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 4 to February 5, 2024, among 568 children aged 12-23 months. Data were collected from their mothers using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the outcome variable. Statistical significance was declared at a p-value of < 0.05. RESULTS: This study found that 52.8% (95% CI: 48.5% - 57%) of the participants completed vaccinations on-time. Timely vaccination was significantly associated with birth order (AOR = 1.87, CI: 1.11, 3.24), place of delivery (AOR = 3.42, CI: 1.14, 10.2), PNC (AOR = 1.98, CI: 1.27, 3.08), knowledge about vaccination (AOR = 3.03, CI: 1.93, 4.7), vaccine hesitancy (AOR = 2.74, CI: 1.59, 4.74), women's autonomy (AOR = 2.06, CI: 1.32, 3.19), and fathers involvement (AOR = 2.15, CI: 1.35, 3.43). CONCLUSION: This study found that timely vaccination coverage remains below the national target. To address this, interventions should prioritize children of higher birth orders and emphasize strengthening institutional delivery and PNC utilization. In addition, promoting father's involvement, enhancing women's autonomy, improving knowledge about vaccination, and reducing vaccine hesitancy are essential.
Nigatu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.