Parents Concerns and Hesitation to Vaccinate Their Children in Urban and Rural Areas of Lashkargah City

Parental refusal of vaccines is a growing concern for the increased occurrence of vaccine-preventable diseases in children. Many studies have been conducted across the globe about why parents hesitate and are reluctant to vaccinate their children. The reasons for hesitancy vary among parents; studies have shown that there are 4 main reasons for hesitancy. These 4 categories are religious reasons, some personal thoughts, concerns about the safety of the vaccines, and the majority of the parents want more information about the vaccines from health care providers. Parental worries about vaccines in every category lead to a different spectrum of decisions; some parents completely refuse all vaccinations, and some parents only delay vaccinations [1]. A large group of parents confess to having concerns and questions about childhood vaccinations. For this reason, it can be more productive and helping for doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers to know the main reasons for hesitancy so they can be better prepared to educate their patients’ families. The main reason vaccines are still subject to debate is that there are strong opinions on either side of the issue. Social media play a big part in spreading misinformation about vaccines, leading to parental fear of vaccinating their children. With recent Covid-19 outbreaks in the news, the vaccine debate is once again circulating in the media. The main purpose of vaccines is that parents must acknowledge that vaccines have been proven safe and effective at protecting public health and keeping individual children healthy. However, vaccines are an individual decision made by parents. Education is the key factor in keeping parents informed with the essential information so that they can make better decisions for their children’s health. [2] I have conducted a questionnaire-based study across the city of Lashkargah and its rural areas. The study was conducted on 1000 people, and all were asked about their hesitation in vaccinating their children. The study mainly focuses on four aspects: 1) Religious beliefs, 2) Personal Beliefs, 3) Inadequate information, and 4) Safety concerns.