Exploring immunisation refusal by parents in the Malaysian context

Abstract

Objective: To investigate parental reasons for reluctance towards immunising their child. Methodology: Ten government health centres providing primary immunisation were selected via non-proportionate stratified random sampling. Children aged 15–24 months who defaulted immunisation for 3 months or longer were identified. Data were obtained from clinic records and a structured telephone interview of parents. Parents were categorised as immunisation refusals or immunisation defaulters. Results: Of 10,189 immunisable children, 95 missed primary immunisation. Contact was established with 52 and 44 completed telephone interviews. Of these, 8 (18.2%) refused immunisation, while 31 (70.5%) defaulted immunisation. The immunisation refusal and defaulter rates per 10,000 children immunised per year were 8 and 30, respectively. The main reason for refusing immunisation was a preference for alternative treatment 6 (75.0). Conclusion: This first systematic evaluation of immunisation refusal in Malaysia showed that a small number of parents refused immunisation.

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