Vaccine hesitancy towards childhood immunisation amongst urban pregnant mothers in Malaysia

Kalok A 1 , Loh SYE 2 , Chew KT 2 , Abdul Aziz NH 2 , Shah SA 3 , Ahmad S 2 Show all authors , Mohamed Ismail NA 2 , Abdullah Mahdy Z 2

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Malaysia. Electronic address: aidahani.mohdkalok@ppukm.ukm.edu.my
  • 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Malaysia
Vaccine, 2020 02 24;38(9):2183-2189.
PMID: 32001070 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.01.043

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy is a complex behaviour which involves various degrees of indecision about specific vaccines or vaccination uptake. Access to antenatal care had been associated with positive vaccine behavior.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy towards childhood immunisation amongst urban pregnant mothers and the associated socio-demographic factors.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1081 women who received antenatal care at a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Vaccine hesitancy was assessed using the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines (PACV) Survey in both English and validated Malay versions. The sociodemographic data of the mothers and their partners, source of vaccine information and reasons for hesitancy were analysed.

RESULTS: Eighty-six (8.0%) pregnant mothers were vaccine hesitant. Ethnicity, religion, number of children, educational level and employment status were significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy. Multivariable analysis showed that a low level of education was the most significant risk factor (p 

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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