FACTORS RELATED TO THE DECISION TO VACCINATE AGAINST COVID-19 OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN AGED 0-4 YEARS OLD AT BANG PAHAN HOSPITAL BANG PAHAN DISTRICT, PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA PROVINCE

Abstract

The study aimed to study factors related to the decision to vaccinate children aged 0–4 years in Bang Pahan District, Ayutthaya Province. The sample group was 59 parents
of children aged 0-4 years who came to use the service at the primary and holistic care department of Bang Pahan Hospital, Bang Pahan District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province from January to February 2022; selected through a purposive sample technique. The instruments used in this study included questionnaires on the knowledge about COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines, attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines, and the decision of the parents to have their children be vaccinated against COVID-19; with the confidence value for the whole issue of 0.944. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

            The study revealed that the parents had a high level of knowledge (100.0%), a high level of attitude (100.0%), and a high level of decision-making on having their children be vaccinated against COVID-19 (100.0%). The child-related personal factors were related to the decision of the parents in having their children be vaccinated against COVID-19 at the significance level of .05 The attitudes correlated with parents' decision to have their children be vaccinated against COVID-19 at the significance level of .05 The relationship between the parents who have a direct responsibility to take care of the children and their high level of attitude played an important role in affecting the decision to have the children be vaccinated against COVID-19. The information obtained from the study is therefore useful in promoting positive attitudes about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines among the group of parents who have a direct responsibility to take care of their children to strengthen immunity and prevent serious illnesses for children.