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Vaccine practices, literacy, and hesitancy among parents in the United Arab Emirates

Hiba Jawdat Barqawi1,2, Kamel A Samara1, Samah Mohamed Kannas1

  • 1College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Plos One
|August 27, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Vaccine hesitancy is present in the UAE, but most parents trust vaccines and healthcare providers. Addressing hesitancy requires targeted strategies and engaged healthcare professionals to improve childhood immunisation rates.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Routine immunisation is a cornerstone of public health, yet millions of children globally miss vaccinations annually.
  • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) faces challenges, with 4% of children under one unvaccinated.
  • Vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier to achieving high immunisation coverage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess vaccination attitudes and practices among parents in the UAE.
  • To determine the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy in the UAE.
  • To identify factors influencing vaccine hesitancy among UAE parents.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in the UAE during March-April 2024.
  • Data were collected using a 60-item questionnaire, including scales for Parental Attitudes towards Childhood Vaccines (PACV), Vaccine Hesitancy, and Digital Vaccine Literacy (DVL).
  • Statistical analyses included univariate, bivariate (chi-squared), and multivariate (logistic regression) methods.

Main Results:

  • Out of 550 participants, 94.36% reported their children received all mandated vaccines.
  • Only 39.82% perceived their knowledge of childhood vaccinations as good/excellent, despite 70.11% having high digital vaccine literacy.
  • Vaccine hesitancy was identified in 14.00% of parents, with factors like healthcare provider consultation, digital literacy, and perceived child vaccine knowledge associated with lower hesitancy.

Conclusions:

  • Vaccine hesitancy is a reality in the UAE, coexisting with high parental trust in vaccines and healthcare systems.
  • Effective strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy are necessary, requiring tailored approaches.
  • Proactive engagement from healthcare workers is crucial for improving vaccination uptake and addressing parental concerns.
Abstract

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