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Published on: August 6, 2020
Determinants of willingness to accept child vaccination against malaria in Ghana
Mustapha Immurana1, Micheal Kofi Boachie2,3, Desmond Klu1
1Institute of Health Research, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
Insights
Awareness of the malaria vaccine and factors like religion and region influence uptake. However, younger mothers and wealthier households show less willingness for childhood malaria vaccination in Ghana.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Vaccinology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in Ghana, disproportionately affecting children.
- Ghana's initiative to integrate the RTS,S malaria vaccine into routine childhood immunizations necessitates understanding uptake determinants.
- This study investigates factors influencing awareness and willingness to vaccinate children against malaria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key determinants of malaria vaccine awareness among Ghanaian children's caregivers.
- To analyze factors associated with the willingness to accept the RTS,S malaria vaccine for children.
- To inform public health strategies for maximizing malaria vaccine uptake in Ghana.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey.
- Employed binary logistic regression for empirical analysis.
- Examined socio-demographic and regional influences on vaccine acceptance.
Main Results:
- Religion, region, and vaccine awareness significantly impact willingness to vaccinate.
- Younger mothers (15-26 years), richest wealth quintile, male-headed households, and more young children were linked to lower willingness.
- Awareness creation is crucial for vaccine acceptance.
Conclusions:
- Targeted awareness campaigns addressing regional and religious differences are essential.
- Interventions should consider the hesitancy among younger mothers and affluent households.
- Addressing socio-economic factors can optimize the uptake of the malaria vaccine for children in Ghana.
Background:
Malaria is a public health problem in Ghana with children being one of the most vulnerable. Given this, in 2019, Ghana decided to add the first malaria vaccine (RTS, S) as part of routine immunisations for children in the near future. This study, thus, examines the determinants of malaria vaccine awareness and willingness to uptake the vaccine for children in Ghana.
Method:
The study uses data from the 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey while employing the binary logistic regression as the empirical estimation technique.
Results:
The study finds that religion, region of residence and awareness of the malaria vaccine, influence the willingness to uptake the vaccine for children. Moreover, younger mothers (15-26 years), households in the richest wealth quintile, male-headed households and the number of children aged five years and below in a household, are found to be associated with less willingness to uptake the vaccine for children.
Conclusion:
Paying attention to awareness creation, region, religion, younger mothers (15-26 years), households in the richest wealth quintile, male-headed households and households with more children aged five years and below, can ensure optimal uptake of the malaria vaccine for children in Ghana.
