In rural Tanzania, babies who are the fifth or later child in their family are more likely to be late on their vaccines than the first child.

Scientific Claim

In rural Tanzania, infants with higher birth order (5th or greater child) have a 18% higher risk of delayed or incomplete DTP3 vaccination compared to firstborn infants, suggesting family size and resource dilution may impair timely immunization in high-parity households.

Original Statement

“In rural Morogoro Region, 5th or greater child had 1.18 (95% CI: 1.05–1.32) times the risk of delayed or incomplete DTP3 vaccination compared to firstborn infants.”

From study:Determinants of delayed or incomplete diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccination in parallel urban and rural birth cohorts of 30,956 infants in Tanzania

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The study reports relative risk with confidence intervals and does not imply causation. The association is appropriately framed as correlational and context-specific.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Determinants of delayed or incomplete diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccination in parallel urban and rural birth cohorts of 30,956 infants in Tanzania

Cohort Study

Human

2019 Feb 26

The study found that in rural Tanzania, babies from poorer families with less educated parents and those born at home were less likely to get all their vaccines on time—conditions that often happen in big families with many children.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Determinants of delayed or incomplete diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccination in parallel urban and rural birth cohorts of 30,956 infants in Tanzania

Score: 66

DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-3828-3

Similar Assertions

In both cities and rural areas of Tanzania, babies from the poorest families are more likely to be late or miss their vaccines than babies from the richest families.

91%

In rural Tanzania, babies born at home are more likely to be late or miss their vaccines than babies born in hospitals or clinics.

91%

In rural Tanzania, babies born small are actually less likely to miss their vaccines than babies born at a normal weight — the opposite of what’s seen in most other poor countries.

88%

In both cities and rural areas of Tanzania, teenage moms are much more likely to have babies who miss or are late on their vaccines than moms in their mid-20s.

88%

In rural Tanzania, babies whose dads didn’t finish school are more likely to miss their vaccines on time than babies whose dads did finish school.

87%