Parental and health service-related factors influencing full pentavalent vaccine uptake among children aged 12-23 months in Nigeria: findings from the demographic and health survey

Recurrent diphtheria outbreaks in Sub-Saharan African countries remain a major public health concern, which have been related with suboptimal pentavalent vaccine uptake. Nationally representative evidence on full pentavalent vaccine uptake and its determinants in Nigeria remains limited. This study aimed to assess the full pentavalent vaccine uptake and to identify associated factors among children aged 12–23 months using data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). This was a population-based cross-sectional study among children aged 12–23 months selected using a multistage stratified cluster sampling design. Data were obtained from the 2024 NDHS and a total weighted sample of 1,947 children aged 12–23 months was selected for analysis. The outcome variable was full pentavalent vaccine uptake defined as receipt of 3 pentavalent vaccine doses. Using STATA 17, bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with full pentavalent vaccine uptake. The influence of parental and health service–related factors on full pentavalent vaccine uptake was examined using adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The mean age of the children aged 12–23 months was 17 months (SD: 3.5), and 52.3% were male. The full pentavalent vaccine uptake was 57.6% (95% CI:54.5, 60.7). In the final adjusted regression model, children of educated mothers (AOR: 5.9; 95% CI:2.29, 14.98) and educated fathers (AOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.18, 4.03), children whose mothers had antenatal care visits ≥ 4 (AOR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.55, 2.97) and had health card (AOR: 16.9; 95% CI: 11.91, 24.13) were more likely to have full pentavalent vaccine uptake. The observed full pentavalent vaccine uptake (57.6%) was below the WHO African Region national target (≥ 90%). The study findings highlight gap in full pentavalent vaccine uptake and underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve full pentavalent vaccine uptake in Nigeria.