Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Knowledge and behaviors of parents towards child vaccination in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Ahmad Y Alqassim¹ , Maged A El-Setouhy¹, Mohamed S Mahfouz¹, Gassem A Gohal², Hassan S Ghafiry³, Abdulrahman H Kaylani³, Yasser S Hommadi³, Mousa Y Wafi³, Bassam H Hakami³, Mohammed A Faqihi³, Ahmed A Al-Habji³, Marwan A Osaili³, Adulrhman A Nemri³

¹Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; ²Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; ³Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

For correspondence:- Ahmad Alqassim Email: aalqassim@jazanu.edu.sa Tel:+966506017654

Accepted: 8 January 2022 Published: 31 January 2022

Citation: Alqassim AY, El-Setouhy MA, Mahfouz MS, Gohal GA, Ghafiry HS, Kaylani AH, et al. Knowledge and behaviors of parents towards child vaccination in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Trop J Pharm Res 2022; 21(1):143-150 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v21i1.22

© 2022 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate parental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards child vaccination in Saudi Arabia and to examine the factors associated with immunization.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jazan, southwest Saudi Arabia. A total of 447 parents who visited the primary health care centers were enrolled using a multistage stratified random sampling method. A structured, self-administered questionnaire involving information on parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards childhood vaccination was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze and to interpret the data.

Results: The immunization knowledge level was 68.0 %, and most respondents had a positive attitude (86.6 %) toward child vaccination. Mothers (74.7 %) showed signs of a higher level of knowledge than fathers (60.5 %). In turn, fathers (91.9 %) had a significantly more positive attitude towards immunization than mothers (81.9 %). Parents working in the medical field showed a significantly high level of knowledge and a significantly positive attitude towards child immunization (p < 0.05). The logistic regression model suggested that the most important independent predictors of immunization compliance were being a mother and working in the health field.

Conclusion: The results show that most of the parents have acceptable levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Health educational programs are needed to improve the levels of parental knowledge and practices.

Keywords: Vaccination, Knowledge, Attitude, Compliance, Health promotion, Saudi Arabia