Tetanus immunity of the patients applying to a primary health care unit.

Tetanus is a disease that is not transmitted by people, although it can be prevented by regular and enough immunisation, it can be mortal when it is caught. If enough immunisation is not performed, the disease can be very serious and mortal, although neonatal form of the disease is eradicated in most of the developed countries, it is stil a community health problem for many numbers of developing countries as our country. Tetanus has a rutin immunisation program for babies, children, pregnants and soldiers. The aim of our study is to evaluate tetanus immunity of the patients applying to a primary health care unit in Aydın.Our study was performed in a period of four months, from September 2007 to December 2007, in Aydın 3rd Primary Healthcare Center. The 279 woman, 77 men totally 356 willing people applying to health care center for any reason over 18 were participated in our study. After extended surveys are performed, the blood taken from the participants were isolated from sera and sera were sheltered in -20°C until analized. Sera were analized using antitetanus micro-ELISA. The results of the laboratory analizes were evaluated by statistical methods.The results, 133 (37.4%) of 356 people were immunized against tetanus. The 39.1% of women, 31.2% of men were immunized (p=0.232). The immunity by ages were 18-40 years; 81.6%, 41-60 years 24.7%, over 60 years 3.2%, the immunity had a trend to decrease by aging (p<0.001). People with lower economic status have 31.8%, middle and high economic status people have 66.7% immunity, we observed that tetanus immunity increases with higher economic status(p<0.001). Pregnancy and labour story does not make difference for the immunity (p=0.278), but examinations of an healthcare unit maked difference for increasing the immunity, the women who had examinations were 60.5% immmunized (p<0.001). Only 38.0% of women with pregnancy story had immunity. People who thought that they are not immunized had immunity of 18.1%, who are immunized had immunity of 81.9% (p<0.001). People who were bruised and applied to health care units in last ten years had immunity of 64.7% (p<0.001).Although Health Ministry has a policy for free immunization programs for most of the age groups the low immunisation of tetanus can be explained as the awareness of the community. To actual immunization it must be regular and enough. Age people have to be immunized with rapel doses, because immunisation levels become lower by years. The community have to be informed enough immunization, and instructed about the importance of tetanus.Key words: Aydın, adult, immunity, tetanus.