PREVALENCE OF VACCINE HESITANCY AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG SAUDI MOTHERS ATTENDING PHCS IN TAIF CITY, SAUDI ARABIA

Background: Despite the outstanding achievements in public health, especially the vaccinations system. An emerging phenomenon called vaccine hesitancy tends to be a significant obstacle that hinders the continuity of the herd immunity that all scientists with governments have built in the last decades.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the level of parental vaccination hesitancy (PVH) among Saudi mothers and to identify the factors that may impact their confidence to vaccinate their children.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on Saudi mothers attending primary healthcare centers in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through a valid questionnaire designed by the SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization) in June 2022.

Results: A total of 224 mothers were included. The majority were aged 24 to 29 years old (28.1%). Around 63% completed their bachelor’s degree, and about 73% were working females. They frequently get their vaccine information from hospitals (35.7%) and social media platforms (35.7%). Upon evaluating PVH-associated factors, graduate and working mothers were less hesitant toward vaccination than non-graduate mothers (p=0.025, 0.047, respectively). Rural area women were more confident about vaccinating their children (p=0.001).  Mothers who received vaccination awareness from hospitals were more hesitant to vaccinate their children (p=0.001).

Conclusion: A significant proportion of Saudi mothers experience PVH. This hesitancy is lower among working mothers with a high level of education who live in rural areas. Mothers who get information from healthcare providers also tend to be less confident about vaccinations. Awareness about the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccinations should be raised among the Saudi community to limit preventable diseases.

Keywords: Parental vaccination hesitancy, Immunization, Saudi mothers, Vaccine.