Effect of infant immunisation on childhood mortality in rural Bangladesh: analysis of health and demographic surveillance data

Background In developing countries, immunisation programmes must compete with other strategies to improve public health and quality of life. Studies of long-term effects of immunisation programmes are rare. We assessed associations between vaccinations and mortality over 15 years after the introduction of routine infant immunisation programmes in Matlab, Bangladesh. Methods We analysed data recorded in a comprehensive health and demographic surveillance system from 1986 to 2001. We did univariate analyses and assessed vaccinations as independent factors with other variables in Cox models with time dependent covariates. Findings Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and oral polio vaccination were independently associated with decreased risk of death before age 9 months, as were amount of maternal education, maternal age, and birth order of the child. DTP…