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. 2022 Dec 31;18(1):2021060.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2021.2021060. Epub 2022 Feb 14.

Validation of the World Health Organization's parental vaccine hesitancy scale in China using child vaccination data

Qiang Wang  1   2 , Shixin Xiu  3 , Liuqing Yang  1   2 , Ying Han  1   2 , Tingting Cui  1   2 , Naiyang Shi  1   2 , Minqi Liu  1   2 , Youqin Yi  1   2 , Chang Liu  1   2 , Xuwen Wang  3 , Weijie Zhou  3 , Hui Jin  1   2 , Leesa Lin  4   5
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Validation of the World Health Organization's parental vaccine hesitancy scale in China using child vaccination data

Qiang Wang et al. Hum Vaccin Immunother. .

Abstract

Evidence for the validity and reliability of the World Health Organization's 10-item vaccine hesitancy scale (VHS) in different settings is not sufficient, especially for criteria validity. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the VHS using child vaccination data in China. A cross-sectional survey was performed with parents of 19-48-month-old children at six vaccination clinics in Wuxi City between September and October 2020. The VHS was revised to category A (expanded program on immunization, EPI) VHS and category B (Non-EPI) VHS. Factor analysis was used to confirm the latent domain and to assess the model structure. The average variance extracted (AVE) was calculated to assess convergent validity, and Cronbach's α and composite reliability (CR) were used to determine internal consistency. The association between VHS scores and children's vaccination status was examined to assess criteria validity using logistic regression. The survey response rate was 75.3% (n = 802). Two factors were identified, explaining 64.60% and 63.34% of the common variance in categories A and B VHS, respectively. The Cronbach's α of > 0.7 and CR of >0.7 in the scale indicated the VHS has acceptable internal consistency. The AVE values indicated that convergent validity was not ideal for the VHS. There were no statistically significant associations between VHS scores and vaccination status, indicating that the criterion validity was not ideal. The VHS needs improvement before becoming a standard survey tool.

Keywords: China; Vaccine hesitancy scale; scale reliability; scale validity.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Parental vaccine hesitancy*.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Parental vaccine hesitancy and children’s vaccination status.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Association between Parental vaccine hesitancy and children’s vaccination status*.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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