Author(s): Jerome Nyhalah Dinga*, Sharris Echari, Benjamin Pokam, Andreas Ateke Njoh, Aishwarya Salian, Stanley Gamua Dobgima, and Joseph Marie Essissima Amougou
Introduction: Vaccines are a cornerstone of public health, effectively combating infectious diseases. However, vaccine hesitancy—defined as delaying or refusing vaccination despite availability—is a significant threat to global health, as recognized by the World Health Organization. This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among people with disabilities in the Fako and Meme Divisions of Cameroon.
Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study design was employed, using a multi-stage probability sampling technique to recruit 116 participants. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26, with descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to determine associations between vaccine hesitancy and the categorical variables.
Results: The study population ranged in age from 17 to 75 years (mean age 36.67 ± 15.86 years), with an equal gender distribution (50% female, 50% male). The majority of participants had completed secondary education (50%), followed by primary education (33.6%) and tertiary education (16.4%). Deafness was the most prevalent disability (41.4%). While just over half of the participants (52.6%) recognized the importance of vaccines, only half (50%) perceived them as safe. Despite this, overall knowledge (63%) and attitude (64%) towards vaccination were positive. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between vaccine hesitancy and both the type of disability (p=0.001) and marital status (p=0.036).
Conclusion: People with disabilities in the study area demonstrated relatively good knowledge and positive attitudes toward vaccines. However, being single was identified as a significant factor influencing vaccine knowledge and uptake. The study recommends targeted vaccine education campaigns for all marital status groups within the disabled community to address potential hesitancy and promote vaccination.
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