Vaccine Hesitancy: A Multifaceted Examination Of Factors Influencing Decision-Making Among Adult Jeddah Residents, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is often considered a significant barrier to achieve optimal rates of vaccination. Attitudes as well as cultural values and norms can impact the perceived health information, resulting in different levels of acceptance or reluctance towards vaccines.

Objectives: Exploring the multifaceted factors affecting decision-making regarding vaccines among adult population.

Subjects and methods: An online population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult Saudi population aged over 18 years currently living in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. An electronic Arabic/English questionnaire was utilized for collecting data.

Results: The study included 389 adults. More than half (54.2%) were males and 42.7% aged between 35 and 44 years. Awareness of the importance of the seasonal influenza vaccine was reported by majority (81.7%) of the participants The most frequently reported source of information was healthcare providers other than family physicians (41.7%), followed by compaings of Ministry of Health (39.3%). Overall, almost two-thirds of the participants (69.2%) expressed positive attitude towards seasonal influenza vaccine.Participants working in healthcare were more likely than othrs to express positive attitude towards seasonal influenza vaccine (78.8% vs. 56.3%), p<0.001. Participants with highest monthly income (>20,000 Saudi Riyals “SR”/month) were more likely to express postitive attitude towards seasonal influenza vaccine than thos with an incme of <5000 SR/month (84.2% vs. 46.2%), p<0.001. The most fequentlyreported motivators to have the vaccine were preventing diseases and reducing complications of seasonal influenza (74.8%) and protection during Umrah and Hajj (53%). Fear of side effects of the vaccine (70.7%), and perception of low risk of influenza (47.6%) were the most frequently barriers to have the vaccine.

Conclusion: Favourable attitude towards seasonal influenza vaccine has been observed among general adult population; particulalrly among people working in healthcare field and those with high income. Some important reasons for vaccine hesitancy were identidies. Thus, Health outhorities should pay more attention to encourage prople to have the vaccine