Prevalence and Factors Associated with Vaccine Hesitancy among Mothers and Caregivers of Children Under Five Years

Immunization is a procedure aimed at providing immunity or resistance to an infectious disease by administering a vaccine. Vaccines are designed to stimulate the person’s immune system to protect against future infections or diseases. Vaccine hesitancy is a growing concern globally, and Nigeria is no exception. Despite the introduction of routine immunization programs, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving optimal vaccination coverage. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among mothers and caregivers of under-five children in Osogbo Metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 325 mothers and caregivers of children under-five years old selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, vaccine hesitancy, attitudes towards vaccination, perceptions about childhood vaccination, and factors influencing vaccine hesitancy. Data were analyzed via descriptive (means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (chi-squared test) on the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 software. The results of the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy were 35.1% as high hesitancy, 56.9% as moderate hesitancy, and 8.0% as low hesitancy. Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy included not having enough information about vaccination (20.3%), bad experience with vaccine/vaccinator (20.0%), distance from facility (33.2%), and influence of family and friends (48.9%). 46.8% of the respondents have a positive attitude, while 53.2% have a negative attitude towards vaccination. There was a significant relationship between age (x2 = 122.044, df = 8, p < 0.001); educational level (x2 = 88.497, df = 6, p < 0.001); marital status (x2 = 76.383, df = 2, p < 0.001); religion (x2 = 41.664, df = 2, p < 0.001); respondents’ tribe (x2 = 81.653, df = 8, p < 0.001); and the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy. Conclusively, vaccine hesitancy is a significant public health concern in Osogbo Metropolis, and addressing the factors associated with it is crucial to improving vaccination coverage. Interventions should focus on educating mothers and caregivers about the benefits and risks of vaccination, addressing concerns about vaccine safety, and promoting social support for vaccination.