Factors associated with incomplete vaccination schedules among children aged 12 to 23 months: A study conducted amongst mothers in the SONA BATA rural health zone in Kongo-Central Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with incomplete vaccination among children aged 12 to 23 months in the Sona Bata rural health zone, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a cross-sectional study with an analytical focus, involving 250 mothers of target children. The data were analysed using SPSS version 25.0.

The results show that vaccination coverage was 58.4 per cent. The mean age of the mothers was estimated at 26.64 ± 7.03 years and that of the children at 17.06 ± 3.07 months. More than half of the mothers surveyed had some level of education (59.2 per cent) and were engaged in some form of paid work (76 per cent).

The results of the multivariate logistic regression identified several factors associated with vaccination completion at the study site, namely: mothers aged over 25 years (ORa = 3.374; _{95% CI}(1.230–9.255), p = 0.018), educated mothers (ORa = 6.701,_{95% CI}(2.038–22.028), ; p = 0.002) and those in employment (ORa = 3.534,_{95% CI}(1.184–10.544), p = 0.024) were more likely to ensure their children completed their vaccination course. Conversely, being an unmarried mother (ORa = 0.024,_{95% CI} (0.0003 – 0.213), p = 0.001) and vaccine stock-outs (ORa = 0.021,_{95% CI}(0.007 – 0.063), p < 0.001) were strongly associated with incomplete vaccination.

In conclusion, incomplete vaccination in the Sona Bata health zone was the result of a complex interaction between individual, socio-economic and structural factors related to the health system.

Keywords: Factors, associated with, Incomplete vaccination, children, rural health zone, Sona Bata.

Received Date: August 17, 2026

Accepted Date: September 09, 2026

Published Date: October 01, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/1009