Degree

Master of Science in Economics

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Economics

Date of Submission

2024-09-15

Supervisor

Dr. Asma Hyder, Professor and Dean School of Economics and Social Sciences

Project Type

MSECO Research Project

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Fully immunized children, Factors, Geo-Spatial, Disparities, Districts

JEL Code

I150, I120, I150

Abstract

Background: Pakistan is among the countries that face significant challenges in terms of high rates of newborn and child mortality. The reduction of this percentage can be achieved through the comprehensive immunization of children and the eradication of numerous infectious diseases. The objective of this research is to assess the extent of the anomaly pertaining to Fully Immunized Children (FIC), followed by identifying the factors that influence the full immunization coverage in various districts of Pakistan and a glance at the distribution of the rates across districts through visualizations. The Study aimed to apply advanced statistical tool such as Multilevel regression model. Methods: We employed the multilevel Logistic regression model method to ascertain a detailed understanding of both individual and community level factors that may influence the FIC rates across districts. Furthermore, a secondary analysis was conducted to evaluate the factors in relation to individual vaccines, including, BCG, Polio Pentavalent, and Measles. Ultimately, a Geo-spatial perspective has been used to visually represent the differential across different vaccines throughout various districts and triangulate with the estimates. Findings: The findings indicate that only about half of the child population received complete immunization in Pakistan. The final model improved in terms of variation across districts with the addition of individual and community level indicators. The primary factors of Full Immunization Coverage at the individual level include the age, education, and literacy of both the mother and father, as well as the birthplace, income levels, and frequency of ANC/PNC visits. However, at the community level, factors such as proximity to health facilities are significant in influencing the full immunization of children. The study reveals that ethnicity is not a crucial indicator of FIC and media exposure in the current era and does not impact the outcome of immunization like it used to a few years ago. The geographic analysis of vaccination coverage for individual vaccines and complete immunization across districts offers an opportunity for deliberation on the specific areas where customized interventions are needed, and the level of targeting required to enhance rates of full immunization coverage.

Pages

xi, 42

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