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Parental Attitudes and Hesitancy About COVID-19 Vaccination Versus Routine Childhood Vaccination in a Selected
Vijayalakshmi Selvam1, Victoria Funmilayo Hanson1, Sneha Pitre1
1RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, RAK College of Nursing, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
Insights
Parental reluctance towards COVID-19 vaccines was higher than for routine childhood immunizations in the UAE. Addressing vaccine hesitancy is crucial for public health strategies and vaccine acceptance.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Vaccine hesitancy is a significant global health threat, impacting vaccination programs worldwide.
- Influenced by social, political, cultural, and informational factors, it fuels resistance to vaccines.
- Antivaccination movements contribute substantially to global vaccine refusal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare parental attitudes and reluctance towards routine childhood vaccinations versus COVID-19 vaccines in the UAE.
- To evaluate vaccine hesitancy among parents in the United Arab Emirates.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 102 parents at SAQR Hospital, UAE.
- Data collected via one-on-one interviews using the WHO's standardized Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) questionnaire.
- Statistical analysis performed using SPSS version 25.
Main Results:
- A significant difference was found in parental reluctance between COVID-19 and routine childhood vaccinations (P=.000).
- Parental knowledge (P=.001) and confidence (P=.000) regarding COVID-19 vaccines showed significant correlations with hesitancy.
- No significant correlation was observed between vaccine hesitancy and sociodemographic factors.
Conclusions:
- Vaccine hesitancy poses challenges to public health strategies, particularly for COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.
- Strategies are needed to expand vaccine access and acceptance, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
- Addressing parental confidence and knowledge is key to increasing vaccination rates.
Background:
A complex interplay of social and political influences, cultural and religious beliefs, the availability and interpretation of health and scientific information, individual and population experiences with health systems, and government policies contributes to the anxiety about vaccines and their programs that results in vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy is becoming a serious threat to vaccination programs; in 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed it as one of the top ten global health threats. The negative impacts of antivaccination movements are blamed for the major portion of the global resistance to vaccination.
Objective:
To evaluate and compare parental attitudes and reluctance regarding routine childhood vaccinations versus COVID-19 vaccines among children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Methods:
A study of 102 parents with children admitted to SAQR Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, was conducted using a convenience sample approach in a descriptive cross-sectional study. One-on-one interviews were conducted to gather data using the standardized Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) questionnaire developed by the WHO. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25 was used for data analysis.
Results:
Vaccine-hesitant respondents are also highly resistant to the required proof of vaccination. A statistically significant difference (P = .000) was observed between parental reluctance to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and routine childhood vaccination. Parental knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (P = .001) and confidence (P = .000) showed a statistically significant correlation. No significant correlation was observed with sociodemographic factors.
Conclusion:
The impact of vaccine hesitancy on herd immunity, social, psychological, and public health strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy was observed in this study with various challenges to overcome in COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. Expanding access to and acceptance of vaccines among parents in low- and middle-income nations, as well as raising vaccination rates among those who express a lack of confidence in vaccines.
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