Monitoring quality of vaccination services provided for aged 0-23 months children in Edirne: Using lot quality technique and geographic information systems during health care reform period

Monitoring Quality of Vaccination Services Provided for Aged 0-23 Months Children in Edirne Using LQ Technique and GIS During Health Care Reform Period

AIM:

Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this practition on the quality of vaccination services during Health Care Reform.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

Research was conducted in a sample of 0-23 months children representing Edirne, by using Lot Quality Technique. Data collection were performed on December 2006, the beginning of health care reform pilot application, and February 2008, respectively. This is a cross-sectional study with the level of accuracy as ±5 and level of confidence as 95%. Sample size was 400 children. Concurrently, geographic information system technology was used for integrated evaluation of the data and for presentation of the results as thematic maps.

FINDINGS AND RESULTS:

The ratio of fully-vaccinated children according to age was 98% in 2006, and 75,1%, in 2008.

The quality of the vaccination services was evaluated in Edirne using the LQT, in which lots were accepted or rejected on the basis of whether an acceptable number of children aged 0 – 23 months were fully vaccinated. If more than 1/8 children in a lot were unvaccinated the lot was rejected and the vaccination service for that lot was considered to be below the expected level of service quality.

According to this criterion, there was one lot for DPT3, OPV3, HBV3 and, were 3 lots for MMR in 2006. There was one lot for DPT3 and OPV1-2-3, 3 lots for HBV3, were 8 lots for HIB1-2 and, were 11 lots for HIB3 in 2008.

For presentation of results, thematic maps of the study area were produced by considering the vaccination state for each lot and for different types of vaccine.

KEY WORDS: Health Care Reform, Lot Quality Technique, Quality of Vaccination Services, Geographic Information System, Edirne