Parental Barriers towards Childhood Vaccination in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the primary reasons why parents may hesitate or refuse to vaccinate their children.

Methods: A detailed computerized search of relevant databases was conducted to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. The search encompassed PubMed, SCOPUS, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to find pertinent research.

Results: Our analysis included eight studies with a total of 5264 Saudi parents and fathers comprised less than half of the participants, totaling 1786 (33.9%). For childhood vaccinations, barriers included parental age, with younger parents more likely to vaccinate, as well as lower education levels and the presence of chronic health conditions among parents. For HPV vaccines, major barriers included fears of side effects, inadequate information, and beliefs that vaccination was unnecessary due to the child’s sexual activity or young age. In families with lower education, these concerns were more prominent. For COVID-19 vaccines, the primary barriers were the need for more information, concerns about efficacy, potential side effects, and time constraints, which limited parents' willingness to vaccinate their children.

Conclusion: The study identifies several key barriers to vaccine uptake in Saudi Arabia, particularly for childhood, HPV, and COVID-19 vaccines. Parental age, education level, cultural beliefs, and misinformation play significant roles in vaccine hesitancy. Addressing these barriers through education, culturally sensitive health communication, and policy changes could improve vaccination rates and overall public health outcomes, particularly in preventing diseases like cervical cancer and other vaccine-preventable illnesses.