Exploring Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents in a Tribal Community: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ormanjhi, Jharkhand

Vaccine hesitancy poses a significant challenge to immunization programs, particularly in tribal communities where unique sociocultural and systemic barriers exist. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, determinants, and underlying reasons for vaccine hesitancy among parents of children under seven years of age in Ormanjhi, a tribal block in Jharkhand, India.

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to September 2017 using the World Health Organization (WHO) cluster sampling method to select 30 clusters and 210 households. Data were collected using a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, Vaccine Appropriate for Age (VAFA), and reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Descriptive statistics, agreement analysis, and chi-square tests were applied for data analysis.

Vaccine hesitancy was reported by 15.24% (n = 32) of parents, while only 22.9% (n = 48) of children were vaccinated appropriately for their age. The most common reasons for hesitancy included fear of adverse effects (8.57%), lack of knowledge (6.19%), and mistrust (6.19%). Hesitancy was significantly associated with mothers as the primary responders (p = 0.036) and beliefs in alternative preventive methods (p = 0.019). Other sociodemographic factors, such as education and caste, showed no significant association.

In Ormanji, vaccine hesitancy is largely driven by misinformation, fear, and mistrust, compounded by low vaccination coverage. Targeted interventions, particularly community-based education and trust-building through local health workers, are essential to improving immunization rates in tribal communities.