International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Social Sciences 2319 10 1 2021 01 14 Vaccine hesitancy affecting immunization status in rural and urban regions of Ahmedabad District, Gujarat, India: a cross-sectional study 32 40 EN Dutta Pryanka 1 Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh Dutta Urme 2 Department of Psychology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh Sana Tanmoy 3 Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, The University of Newcastle, Australia Mondal Uzzwal Kumar 4 Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh Baba Ibrahim 1 Department of Public Administration, Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam, Yobe State, Nigeria Adamu Ibrahim Ghide 2 Department of Social Development, Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam, Yobe State, Nigeria Patimo Donald M. 1 Northwest Samar State University, Philippines Amor Ghilson B. 2 Northwest Samar State University, Philippines Casiracan Mia Cheryl E. 3 Northwest Samar State University, Philippines AYGAR Hatice 1 Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Izmir, Turkey TOZUN Mustafa 2 Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey UNSAL Alaettin 3 Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Izmir, Turkey ARSLANTAS Didem 4 Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Izmir, Turkey OKTAR Didem 5 Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Izmir, Turkey DAGTEKIN Gokce 6 Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Izmir, Turkey Nair Kesavan Sreekantan 1 Department of Health Administration, College of Public Health and Health, Informatics, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia T.P. Sherin Raj 2 The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Munirka, New Delhi-110067, India Gupta Paridhi 1 Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, India Vora Kranti Suresh 2 Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, India Saiyed Shahin 3 Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, India Tailor Parth 4 Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, India > Research Paper 2020 7 2 2021 01 14 Immunization is one of the most efficient interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality in children. Despite such interventions, immunization coverage is not sufficient. Our objective is to determine the factors affecting the immunization status of children in rural and urban areas of the Ahmedabad district. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out where children in the age group of 0-72 months in rural and urban communities were surveyed. Data were collected from mothers and caregivers who were willing to participate in the study. Data were analyzed using STATA MP 14.2. A total of 9, 466 responses were collected. Out of these, 7, 441 children were in the age-group of 12-72 months and hence were included to determine immunization status. Most children were fully immunized in both rural (86.40%) and urban (89.22%) areas. Vaccine hesitancy, family type, maternal education, unavailability of immunization card, place of immunization, and immunization facilitator were significantly associated with a child being partial/unimmunized. It was observed that socio demographic factors and vaccine hesitancy on part of the caregiver were important factors associated with the immunization status of children. Future strategies and interventions should focus on optimizing the timing and proper dissemination of information in both rural and urban areas in order to improve vaccine uptake. Copyright@ International Science Community Association