Perceptions on Pediatric Vaccination and Adherence: A Study among Mothers in the Philippines

Vaccination is a universal health development initiative which aims to save millions of lives every year. Vaccines reduce the risks of acquiring many diseases by developing antibodies and boots the immune system of the body. Aim: This paper aims to determine the mothers’ perceptions on pediatric vaccination guided by the components of the Health Belief Model. It is likewise aimed to determine the correlation of the mother’s perception to their vaccination adherence. Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional design utilizing a self-report scale. Participants composed of mothers who have children aged one year old and below, from Ormoc City, Philippines. Results: It revealed that mothers’ have high perceived threat (m=3.76, SD=0.77), perceived benefits (m=3.82, SD=0.84), and perceived self-efficacy (m=3.78, SD=0.79), towards vaccination. Similarly, cues to action revealed a high mean score of 3.86 (SD=0.88). On the other hand, factors such as financial (m=2.83; SD=1.06), personal (m=2.12, SD=1.02), Spiritual (m=2.29, SD=1.01), Geographical (m=2.172; SD=1.54), and Health Care Professional's Approach (m=2.26; SD=0.99) were not considered as a barrier among the participants. Among the perceptions identified, we found a positive correlation between a mother's perceived threat (r=0.290, p=<0.001), perceived benefits (r=0.147, p=0.001), and perceived self-efficacy (r=0.217, p=0.001) to their vaccination adherence. On the other hand, among the perceived barriers, only personal beliefs (r=1.78, p=<0.001) and the approach of health care providers (r=-0.096, p=0.038) revealed a significant negative relationship to a mother's adherence to vaccination. Conclusion: Related factors such as perceived threat, benefit, and self-efficacy are facilitative, while personal beliefs and negative approaches health care personnel can be barriers to immunization. When a mother's perception outweighs their perceived barriers, they are more likely to submit to vaccination.