Hesitancy towards R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine among Ghanaian parents and attitudes towards immunizing non-eligible children: a cross-sectional survey

Mohamed Fakhry Hussein; Frank Kyei-Arthur; Marina Saleeb; Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi; Theophilus Abutima; Ignatius Great Sakada; Ramy Mohamed Ghazy

doi:10.1186/s12936-024-04921-2

Hesitancy towards R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine among Ghanaian parents and attitudes towards immunizing non-eligible children: a cross-sectional survey

Malar J. 2024 May 12;23(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s12936-024-04921-2.

Authors

Mohamed Fakhry Hussein¹, Frank Kyei-Arthur², Marina Saleeb³, Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi⁴, Theophilus Abutima⁵, Ignatius Great Sakada⁶, Ramy Mohamed Ghazy^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Occupational Health and Industrial Medicine Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21561, Egypt. hiph-mohamedfakhry@alexu.edu.eg.
² Department of Environment and Public Health, the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya, Ghana.
³ Biostatistics Department, MARS-GLOBAL, London, WC2H 9JQ, UK.
⁴ Department of Children, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Accra, Ghana.
⁵ Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala Campus, Nyankpal, Ghana.
⁶ Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁷ Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21561, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: The newly developed malaria vaccine called "R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine" showed a high safety and efficacy level, and Ghana is the first country to approve this new vaccine. The present study aimed to evaluate the rate of vaccine hesitancy (VH) towards the newly developed malaria vaccine among parents who currently have children who are not eligible for the vaccine but may be eligible in the near future. Additionally, the study aimed to identify the factors that could potentially influence VH.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey using both online-based questionnaires and face-to-face interviews was conducted in Ghana from June to August 2023. The survey specifically targeted parents of ineligible children for vaccination, including those aged less than 5 months or between 3 and 12 years. The Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccination (PACV) scale was used to assess parental VH.

Results: A total of 765 people participated in this study. Their median age was 36.0 years with an interquartile range of 31.0-41.0 years, 67.7% were females, 41.8% completed their tertiary education, 63.3% were married, 81.6% worked in non-healthcare sectors, and 59.7% reported that their monthly income was insufficient. About one-third (34.5%) of the parents were hesitant to give their children the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. The following predictors were associated with VH: working in the healthcare sector (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.50; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30-0.80; p = 0.005), having the other parent working in the healthcare sector (AOR = 0.54; 95% CI 0.30-0.94; p = 0.034), and not taking scheduled routine vaccinations (AOR = 1.90; 95% CI 1.27-2.84; p = 0.002).

Conclusions: Addressing VH is crucial for optimizing R21/Matrix-M vaccine coverage in Ghana's malaria control strategy. By tackling VH issues, Ghana can effectively safeguard children's health in malaria-prone areas.

Keywords: Ghana; Health policy planning; Malaria; Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccination Scale; R21/Matrix-M vaccine; Vaccine hesitancy.

MeSH terms

Adult
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Ghana
Humans
Infant
Malaria / prevention & control
Malaria Vaccines* / administration & dosage
Male
Middle Aged
Parents* / psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Vaccination / psychology
Vaccination / statistics & numerical data
Vaccination Hesitancy / psychology
Vaccination Hesitancy / statistics & numerical data

Substances

Malaria Vaccines