Adverse Events Following Immunization And Associated Factors Amongst Children 0-24 Months In An Urban Setting In, Cameroon

The study “Adverse Events Following Immunization and Associated Factors Amongst Children 0–24 Months in an Urban Setting in Cameroon” aimed to identify the prevalence and spectrum of vaccine-related adverse events in young children, and to determine the maternal and contextual factors influencing appropriate management of these events. Conducted in immunization clinics across an urban district, the study used a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire with 422 mothers whose children were 0–24 months. It found a 37.9% prevalence of AEFI, predominantly systemic reactions (58.6%) like fever and swelling, most occurring within six hours of vaccination. The pentavalent vaccine was most frequently implicated by caregivers. While over half of mothers managed AEFIs at home, only 26.3% sought medical care within 24 hours. Logistic regression revealed that younger maternal age (OR 2.43), health facility deliveries (OR 3.24), and maternal awareness of AEFI reporting (OR 2.53) significantly predicted timely healthcare-seeking behavior