Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Influenza Vaccine Uptake Among Children in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
TL;DR
Public health strategies should shift from broad factual dissemination to targeted, point-of-care counseling that addresses misconceptions about vaccine necessity and safety to improve influenza vaccination rates among children in Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
Background: Seasonal influenza is a major public health concern, particularly among children who are at high risk of infection and can transmit the virus to others. Vaccination is the primary preventive measure. Parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) may influence vaccination decisions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi parents attending primary healthcare centers in Jeddah. Parents with at least one child aged six months or older were eligible. Data were collected using a validated self-administered Arabic questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, awareness, perceived barriers, and vaccine uptake. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to examine associations, and binary logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of vaccine uptake. Results: A total of 308 parents participated. Influenza vaccine uptake was reported by 57.5% of participants. Nearly all participants (97.7%) demonstrated good knowledge, but the knowledge score was not significantly associated with vaccine uptake (p = 0.399). Parental attitude was a significant independent predictor (OR = 1.090, 95% CI: 1.033-1.149, p = 0.001). Education level was also significantly associated with uptake (p = 0.015), with lower-educated parents showing higher odds of vaccination compared to postgraduate-educated parents. Exposure to awareness campaigns was significantly associated with higher uptake (p < 0.001). The most reported barriers were the belief that vaccination was unnecessary (9.4%) and concerns about side effects (8.4%), both strongly associated with non-vaccination (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although most parents had good knowledge about influenza vaccination, this did not translate into consistent vaccination behavior. Parental attitudes and awareness campaign exposure were the main predictors of vaccine uptake. Public health strategies should shift from broad factual dissemination to targeted, point-of-care counseling that addresses misconceptions about vaccine necessity and safety to improve influenza vaccination rates among children in Saudi Arabia.