Despite the free vaccines and numerous awareness campaigns to increase the immunization rate, it still failed to reach to its target population and goal. This study determined the reasons for low immunization in selected barangays in Zamboanga City. This study also determined the effect of lecture and pamphlet on the immunization rate in the barangays with low immunization. This study was conducted into two parts: cross-sectional analytical and interventional. There were a total of 133 respondents in the barangays with high immunization rate (Labuan District) and 172 respondents with low immunization rate (Ayala District). A survey questionnaire answering “agree”, “neither agree nor disagree” or “disagree” was given to the mothers with children 8 months old and below regarding the statements on the reasons for low immunization between the two groups. Chi-square was used to determine reasons for low immunization and frequency and percentage was used to compare immunization rate before and after the intervention. Results from the interview showed that the reasons for low immunization are illness during immunization day, cost of travel, distance of health center, fear from the news of Dengvaxia vaccine, complacency, and shortage of vaccines. Reasons for low immunization through the survey conducted include long waiting line (p value = 0.001), shortage of vaccine stocks (p=0.034), adverse reactions following vaccination (.000), belief that people living in rural areas do not need vaccines (p=0.000), inadequate knowledge on what diseases the vaccines prevent (p=0.000), and family’s hesitancy towards vaccines (p=0.000). The intervention study that compares the immunization rate before and after the intervention showed an increase in the percentage of immunization coverage as a whole in Ayala District 1 month after the intervention. This study, however, did not conclude that lecture with pamphlet was effective to improve immunization rate because it was not conducted in a controlled environment.

Keyword: Low immunization Effect of lecture and and pamphlet Immunization rate