Table 1 Explanatory variables for timely vaccine utilization, their operational definitions, and measures
Variable | Operational definition | Measure type |
|---|---|---|
Predisposing characteristics | ||
Infant’s birth order | Number of infants birthed by the mother before the index infant | Continuous (children) |
Mother’s age | Age at time of enrollment | Continuous (years) |
Mother's education | Educational level of the mother at time of enrollment | Continuous (years) |
Mother's marital status | Marital status of mother is captured at enrollment divided into two categories, not married (separated, divorced, widowed, never married) or married | Dichotomous 0 = not married; 1 = married |
Enabling factors | ||
Household wealth index | Produced from existing variables (household assets ownership, household characteristics and access to utilities) from enrollment questionnaires through factor analysis using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) | Categorical 1 = low wealth; 2 = mid-low wealth; 3 = mid-high wealth; 4 = high wealth |
Transport to facility | Whether the mother traveled by foot or using transportation to the facility, captured at 6-week follow-up visit | Dichotomous 0 = walking; 1 = taxi or other |
External Environment | ||
General Service Readiness Assessment | Produced from existing variables (basic amenities, basic equipment, infection prevention, and diagnostic capacity) from the facility inventory questionnaires through factor analysis using PCA | Continuous (points) |
Immunization Services and Availability Assessment | Produced from existing variables (staff guidelines, immunization equipment, medicine and commodities) from the facility inventory questionnaires also through factor analysis using PCA | Continuous (points) |
Facility type | Health center or reference hospital, captured in facility inventory questionnaire | Dichotomous 0 = reference hospital; 1 = health center |
Facility Ownership | The gestational authority of the facility, captured in facility inventory questionnaire | Categorical 1 = public; 2 = religious-affiliation; 3 = private & other |
Location | Urban versus rural/peri-urban status, captured in facility inventory questionnaire | Dichotomous 0 = rural/per-urban; 1 = urban |