Acceptance of and Concerns about Covid-19 Vaccination among Parents: A Cross-sectional Survey in Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

Ramya Kundayi  Ravi; Huda Mohamed Ali  Rasheed; Mona  Gamal

doi:10.25159/2520-5293/12651

Authors

Ramya Kundayi Ravi RAK Medical and Health Sciences University
Huda Mohamed Ali Rasheed RAK Medical and Health Sciences University
Mona Gamal RAK Medical and Health Sciences University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2520-5293/12651

Keywords:

Corona Virus, Vaccination, parents, concerns, acceptability, acceptance, willingness, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Covid-19 has impacted the health and well-being of children worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate parental acceptance of and concerns about vaccinating their children against Covid-19 in Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The study adopted a cross-sectional design. Parental acceptance of and concerns about vaccinating their children were collected using a structured questionnaire. A total of 366 parents were selected, using purposive sampling from the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, during the period of November 2021 to February 2022. Of all, 5.3% (56) of the parents expressed a high level of concern regarding vaccinating their children against Covid-19, while 80.6% (295) expressed a medium level and 4.1% (15) a low level of concern. Parental acceptance was found to be medium and high among 71% (260) and 8.8% (69) of the parents respectively, as opposed to 10.1% (37) who were reluctant (low) to do so. The most important concerns for the low acceptance of Covid-19 vaccination were safety, side effects and effectiveness of the vaccination. The study reveals the need to initiate more targeted interventions to improve the acceptability of vaccines and the acceptance of the parents in order to alleviate the concerns of parents about vaccinating their children against Covid-19.

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