A cross-sectional study to assess childhood vaccine hesitancy in the Maltese Islands
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: Literature on vaccine hesitancy in the Maltese Islands is limited to perspectives from local healthcare professionals or students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, or as part of international studies which compare various countries. Aim: The main aim of this dissertation was therefore to gain more insight into local vaccine hesitancy by focusing mainly on parents’/guardians’ views and perceptions on childhood vaccines at a point in time (during late 2023). Specific objectives were to assess whether they prioritised certain vaccines over others and whether they believed that there are other important vaccines besides those on the National Immunisation Schedule. Methodology: For this quantitative cross-sectional study, Google Forms was used to create an English and Maltese version of the questionnaire and the URL links were then distributed online through reputable Facebook groups. Its sections were demographics, the validated PACV (Parental Attitudes about Childhood Vaccinations) tool and a section on local vaccination settings. Other methods of data collection were the involvement of proxies (nurses) working at the National Immunisation Service (NIS) who shared QR codes to both language versions, with parents/guardians who attended the site with their children. An email invitation containing the URL links, was sent to all parents/guardians who use the free childcare scheme. Results and Discussion: A total of 1112 individuals responded to the questionnaire, out of which 912 (82.0%) suited the inclusion criteria and completed it. The necessary weighting was carried out. Many participants always chose to vaccinate their children (79.2%) and without delay (76.7%) and many also trusted their children’s doctors (81.3%) and confided with them on issues regarding childhood vaccines (89.2%). Such findings were similar to those from other vaccine hesitancy studies which also used the PACV tool. However, there were also several hesitant findings mainly in the questions…
abstract: Background: Literature on vaccine hesitancy in the Maltese Islands is limited to perspectives from local healthcare professionals or students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, or as part of international studies which compare various countries. Aim: The main aim of this dissertation was therefore to gain more insight into local vaccine hesitancy by focusing mainly on parents’/guardians’ views and perceptions on childhood vaccines at a point in time (during late 2023). Specific objectives were to assess whether they prioritised certain vaccines over others and whether they believed that there are other important vaccines besides those on the National Immunisation Schedule. Methodology: For this quantitative cross-sectional study, Google Forms was used to create an English and Maltese version of the questionnaire and the URL links were then distributed online through reputable Facebook groups. Its sections were demographics, the validated PACV (Parental Attitudes about Childhood Vaccinations) tool and a section on local vaccination settings. Other methods of data collection were the involvement of proxies (nurses) working at the National Immunisation Service (NIS) who shared QR codes to both language versions, with parents/guardians who attended the site with their children. An email invitation containing the URL links, was sent to all parents/guardians who use the free childcare scheme. Results and Discussion: A total of 1112 individuals responded to the questionnaire, out of which 912 (82.0%) suited the inclusion criteria and completed it. The necessary weighting was carried out. Many participants always chose to vaccinate their children (79.2%) and without delay (76.7%) and many also trusted their children’s doctors (81.3%) and confided with them on issues regarding childhood vaccines (89.2%). Such findings were similar to those from other vaccine hesitancy studies which also used the PACV tool. However, there were also several hesitant findings mainly in the questions…
language: en
keywords: Vaccination of children -- Malta, Vaccine hesitancy -- Malta, Misinformation -- Malta
date published: 2024
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:11:20Z
provider: University of Malta
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Malta