PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTIONS, AND REFUSAL OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION AGAINST VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES IN NORTHERN MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.25/no.1/art.3061Keywords:
Vaccine-preventable diseases, childhood vaccination, knowledge, perceptions, vaccine refusalAbstract
The increase in cases of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in Malaysia highlights the problem of vaccine hesitancy and refusal, which disrupts herd immunity. Knowledge and perception play a crucial role in vaccine refusal, influencing parental decisions to vaccinate their children. This study aimed to assess parental knowledge, perceptions, and reasons for the refusal of vaccination against vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in Northern Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Northern Malaysia, across Kedah, Penang, and Perlis. Snowball sampling was employed to recruit parents who had refused or delayed their children’s vaccinations, who are often hesitant to participate in formal surveys. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to measure the parents’ knowledge and perceptions and to identify the reasons for vaccine refusal. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were performed to analyse the data. A total of 359 respondents participated in the study. The majority of participants reported having good knowledge (69.9%) and positive perceptions (83.3%) towards childhood vaccination. Younger parents, males, those with higher or tertiary education, and employed individuals demonstrated better knowledge and more positive perceptions of vaccination. A statistically significant association was found between knowledge and perception (p < 0.001). Additionally, 66% of respondents who refused vaccination cited negative perceptions as the key reason. While the majority of parents are knowledgeable and hold positive views about vaccination, negative perceptions still play a major role in vaccine refusal. Targeted strategies to correct misinformation and improve trust in the healthcare systems are essential to enhance vaccine acceptance.
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