Work

Hesitancy towards Japanese Encephalitis vaccine and its socio-demographic correlates among parents attending to children aged <15 years in tertiary hospitals of Coastal South India

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Problem considered Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne disease with a vaccine as the main preventive strategy. Vaccine hesitancy among parents can pose a threat to the success of child vaccination programmes. Objectives To determine the level of awareness regarding the transmission, treatment and sequelae of JE, assess the levels and determining factors of vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among parents accompanying their children aged <15 years to the study hospitals. Methods This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 204 parents of children aged <15 years from February to May 2023. Data were collected using a pretested validated proforma and analysed using Jamovi software 2.3. Chi-square test and Binary Logistic Regression analyses were used. Results Among, the 204 study participants (mean age 29.6 (±3.65) years), 73% (n = 129) were aged 30 years (85.3% versus 83.7% among 2 children (90% versus 84.0% among those having Conclusion The participants had high level of awareness about JE cases being reported; lack of knowledge regarding the JE transmission, treatment, and consequences; high JE vaccine hesitancy and low acceptance rate.

Source: Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health

DOI: 10.1016/j.cegh.2024.101585