Assessment Of Vaccine Hesitancy And Its Impact On Immunization Coverage In Urban And Rural Populations: Original Article

Hayat Muhmmad Khan; Rubeena Gul; Shakir Ullah

doi:10.64911/nhzpt867

Authors

Hayat Muhmmad Khan Associate Professor, Community Medicine Department Khyber Medical College Peshawar Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0362-209X
Rubeena Gul Associate Dean Research, Community Health Sciences department Muhammad college of medicine Peshawar Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9933-227X
Shakir Ullah Senior Lecturer Community Health Sciences Dept. at Muhammad College of Medicine, Peshawa Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1731-9344

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64911/nhzpt867

Keywords:

Vaccine hesitancy, immunization, urban, rural.

Abstract

Background: Immunization has also been faced by a great challenge known as vaccine skepticism both among the urban and rural people. Differences in the rate of acceptance of the vaccines by such populations can lead to the prevalence of the preventable diseases, the hindrance of the herd immunity and the objectives of the overall health. To improve the degree of immunization rates and state of the population, it is critical to know more about associations of the vaccine hesitancy phenomena.

Objectives: To determine of vaccination to baby boomers affects the level of immunization among the urban and rural population and to define the variables that determine acceptance of the vaccine.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was Conducted at Community Medicine Department Khyber Medical College Peshawar From jan 2023 to jan 2024 .100 individuals (some living in urban and some in rural areas) by means of using self-administered questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 24.0 to check the demographic variables and vaccine hesitancy, after which the criterion of the chi-square test was set as the level of significance.

Results: out of 100 patients the mean age 35.2 years (SD = 12.5). The rate of vaccine hesitancy was found out to be higher in rural citizens (38 percent) compared to the rate of vaccine hesitancy in urban citizens (22 percent) (p < 0.05). The most common reasons of reluctance included the bad information in the cities and access to healthcare in the country. The score of the vaccine acceptance ended up having p values that were significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The vaccine hesitancy is a big prospect of affecting the immunization coverage particularly in the rural setting. Specific interventions targeting uptake of the vaccines and the reduction in spreading the disease through education campaigns and improving the access to medical services must be put in place in order to make sure that more individuals are going to accept the vaccine and break the outbreak.