Factors Influencing Malaria Vaccine Uptake in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese District

Abstract

Background: Vaccination has proven to be one of the most cost-effective tools for infectious disease control in recent decades. RTS, S/AS01E (RTS,S,Mosquirix, ) was the first parasite vaccine approved by WHO for widespread use in children in regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. However, low vaccination coverage rate were recorded in the selected districts where the vaccination program is being implemented. The objective of the study was to determine the factors responsible for this low coverage rate in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese district. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among parents whose children were eligible for malaria vaccination in Abura Asebu Kwamankese district by. The study used questionnaires and maternal and child health records to collect data on factors influencing vaccination. An ordered logistic regression analysis was used to calculate crude(cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) with a p<0.05 Results: The mean age of respondents was of 28 ± 6 years. The vaccine coverage rate was: 97.77% for RTSS 1, 96.27% for RTSS 2, 95.03% for RTSS 3, and 67.73% for RTSS 4. In the univariate analysis; ‘knowledge of the malaria vaccine’, ‘correct determination of vaccination schedule’ ‘attitude of health care workers’ and “parents who had heard of negative rumors” had significant associations with an increased malaria vaccine uptake. A multivariate ordered logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant associations between parents who had heard of negative rumors and full uptake (aOR 0.06, 95%CI; 0.02-0.29) and children whose parents rated health workers’ attitude as “good” as compared to “bad” (aOR 13.83, 95%CI; (2.33-82.06) Conclusion: The uptake showed a high vaccine coverage rate for the first three doses of the RTSS vaccine, however, fewer children had received all recommended four doses of vaccine There is a need for the Abura Dunkwa District Health Directorate to increase awareness , acceptability and accessibility of the malaria vaccines through health education and promotion, professional conduct and public health policies