PREVALENCE OF VACCINE HESITANCY AMONG PARENTS OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving optimal immunization coverage among young children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Parents’ decisions in early childhood are pivotal for protecting against vaccine-preventable diseases, yet concerns over safety, misinformation, and trust continue to impact uptake. Objective: To assess the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy and identify its key contributing factors among parents of children under five in the Lahore region of Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over eight months in five public health facilities in Lahore. A total of 472 parents of children under five were selected using multistage systematic sampling. Data were collected through a validated, interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from the WHO-SAGE Vaccine Hesitancy Scale. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression were performed using SPSS v26 to identify factors independently associated with vaccine hesitancy. Results: The prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was found to be 33.7%. The leading factors reported were social media misinformation (73.6%), concerns about vaccine side effects (68.6%), and lack of adequate information (59.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed that social media misinformation (AOR: 3.26; 95% CI: 2.12–5.03), low education (AOR: 2.41; 95% CI: 1.58–3.67), and low income (AOR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.21–2.95) were significant independent predictors of hesitancy. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy among parents in Lahore is influenced by misinformation, socio-economic disadvantage, and trust issues. Targeted communication strategies and public education are essential to address concerns and enhance vaccine confidence at the community level.