The relationship between perceptions and self-paid hepatitis B vaccination: A structural equation modeling approach

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Malaysia offers a public hepatitis B (HepB) immunization for infants, but adults incur costs for the vaccine.
• Anticipated rise in adult HepB carriers necessitates understanding adult vaccination willingness.
• Study investigates factors influencing adults' willingness to pay (WTP) for HepB vaccine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of perceived susceptibility, barriers, cues to action, perceived severity, and perceived benefit on adults' WTP for the HepB vaccine.
• To examine the relationship between perceived barriers and perceived benefits concerning HepB vaccination.

Main Methods:

• A stratified, two-stage cluster community sample of adults in Selangor, Malaysia was used.
• Measurement model validity was confirmed before employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
• PLS-SEM analyzed the significance of structural paths influencing WTP.

Main Results:

• Perceived susceptibility, cues to action, and perceived barriers significantly positively influenced WTP for the HepB vaccine.
• The model explained 8.8% of the variation in adults' WTP.
• A significant negative association was found between perceived barriers and perceived benefits, explaining 6.8% of the variation.

Conclusions:

• Interventions should address individual perceptions of disease risk and vaccination barriers.
• Educational materials and integrated clinic visits for HepB screening and vaccination are recommended.
• Targeted policies can enhance adult HepB vaccination uptake by modifying psychological constructs.