Rabail Saeed|Irtiza Hashmi
Pakistan Ranks Third Globally With the Most Unvaccinated Children: Is the Impact of Parental Perception and Attitude on Immunization an Essential Contributing Factor to an Unsuccessful Vaccination Coverage?
Ziauddin University|Ziauddin University
introductionhaving thirdhighest burden child mortality ranking third globally undervaccinated children pakistan contains 15 population age five accounts 50 mortality rate countryevery year almost three million children miss entire course readily available vaccines leaving vulnerable lifethreatening diseasesthe expanded program immunization epi launched 1978 protect children vaccinepreventable childhood diseasesit main program routine immunization provided publichowever since inception within pakistan encountered many problems including lack parental awareness educationlow literacy rate socioeconomic disparities cultural religious beliefs made parents doubtful vaccinationsthis term known vaccine hesitancybelief conspiracy theories also led reduced vaccination coverage pakistan methodsa crosssectional study conducted 300 parents children five chosen karachi pakistan convenience sampling techniquethe data collected via 300 selfadministered researcher administered questionnairesassociations evaluated using chisquare test level significance taken p 005 cramers v determine strength associationsdata analysis done using statistical package social sciences spss version 200 resultsstrong associations found parental knowledge immunization vaccines willingness get children immunizedassociations greater significant parents higher level education compared lowerhowever lack knowledge certain essential vaccines like pentavalent pneumococcal ipv important aspect consideralso noted inability access free vaccines due firm beliefsit also lack awareness facilities better beneficial program223 parents said administering multiple vaccines time would harmful child 217 believed would cause disease supposed preventhowever majority parents said would strongly recommend others get vaccinatedin study religions included investigated mostly encouraged vaccination relatives p value 0079occupation monthly income little effect immunization regime young children conclusionan impact higher levels education perceptions attitudes parents regarding immunization children notedconsequently religion gender occupation monthly income affect parents perceptions regarding immunizations problem lies within knowledge understanding basic medical science easily communicable diseasesoblivious consequences contracting lethal disease developed laidback attitude amongst parentshence awareness education parents regarding vaccinepreventable diseases healthcare system governing bodies lead higher successful immunization rate