Validation of the Arabic translation of the vaccination attitudes examination (VAX) scale

The availability of concise and valid instruments for measuring vaccination attitudes across different countries or populations is limited. The 12-item four-subscale Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale designed to assess vaccination hesitancy has been validated in more than 15 languages. This study aimed to validate the Arabic translation of VAX.

VAX was translated from Danish to Arabic following the Principles of Good Practice for the Translation and Cultural Adaptation Process for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures. The translated VAX was distributed to the citizens of Saudi Arabia in March 2023 through an online survey system and the authors' networks. Internal consistency reliability was assessed with Cronbach's α. Factorial structure was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Known-group validity was assessed based on COVID-19 vaccination status.

Responses from 164 participants who fully answered the questionnaire were analyzed. The mean age was 40 years, 77 % were females, and 90 % were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with one-third receiving booster doses. CFA confirmed a well-fit four-factor structure. All items loaded well with their factors: standardized regression weight values ranged from 0.69 to 0.96. Correlations between the four factors ranged from 0.47 to 0.79. Cronbach α ranged from 0.874 to 0.930. As expected, the mean scores of all subscales were higher in those unvaccinated compared to those who were fully vaccinated as well as those fully vaccinated with a booster dose (p < 0.05).

The Arabic translation of the VAX exhibited a well-defined factorial structure with good internal consistency reliability and known-group validity. It is a valuable tool for measuring vaccination hesitancy in Arabic-speaking countries or populations, enabling the comparison of vaccine hesitancy across different countries and cultures.