Assessing the Determinants of Influenza Vaccine Uptake in Malaysia: Strategies to Improve Public Health and Service Delivery.

BACKGROUND

Although the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, has emphasized that the public receive their influenza vaccine shots, with the latest announcement of free vaccines for senior citizens in Malaysia, vaccine hesitancy has been prevalent among society and more pronounced within the public who are not involved in the fields of healthcare. The present study aims to identify the influencing factors in receiving the influenza vaccine based on the vaccine hesitancy matrix proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

METHODS

Healthcare personnel and individuals from the non-healthcare fields were enrolled. A structured questionnaire was prepared and shared by the investigators. A mixed sampling approach was employed, initially utilizing convenience sampling, and then, a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) strategy was used to target all participants consenting to fill out the questionnaire. The participants received a soft copy regarding the importance of influenza vaccination upon completion of the questionnaire.

RESULTS

The present study showed that of the 176 participants surveyed, 80 (45.5%) were not vaccine hesitant, while 96 (54.5%) had vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy was found to be more in number among those who are not in the healthcare sector. Having been affected by influenza previously, personal risk perception and personal vaccination experiences were found to be significant influencing factors of the willingness to receive the vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to an increased understanding of the factors influencing the willingness to accept the influenza vaccine. Specific educational programs, academic-community partnerships, transparent doctor-patient communication, and involvement of policymakers could boost the rate of active immunization among the public. The medical staff are suggested to provide health education, improve doctor-patient communication, and recommend vaccinations to the public to increase their risk perception and willingness to get an influenza vaccination.