Navigating Parental Vaccine Hesitancy in Pahang, Malaysia: Insights into Childhood Vaccination Decisions

Introduction: vaccine hesitancy among parents is on the rise, with some opting for alternative vaccination schedules, selectively vaccinating their children, or rejecting vaccines altogether. Malaysia has reported 1600 cases of parents refusing to vaccinate their children, an increase from 1500 cases in 2015, with Pahang being one of the states experiencing the highest number of vaccine refusals. Method: a quantitative approach was employed, utilizing surveys to collect and analyze data from 333 parents who have at least one child under the age of 16 in Pahang, Malaysia. Results: the findings revealed that attitude and risk perception negatively influenced vaccine hesitancy, while other factors, such as subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and safety perception, positively influenced childhood vaccine intention and negatively influenced vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: these results have important implications for public health initiatives aimed at reducing vaccine hesitancy in Malaysia. Understanding the factors that contribute to parents' decisions can help design targeted interventions that address misconceptions, improve risk perception, and encourage positive attitudes toward vaccination.