Parents' perceived safety, usability, and acceptability of vaccination through microarray patches: A preliminary multi-national cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Microarray patches (MAPs) are an emerging, needle-free vaccination technology with potential to improve vaccine uptake and acceptability. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted to assess parents' perceptions of MAP safety, usability, and acceptability for themselves and their children. Participants were parents of children aged ≤18 y residing in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, or New Zealand. Responses were recorded on a 7-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used for analysis. A total of 102 parents participated (mean age = 40.7 y, SD = 10.6), predominantly from Canada (59.8%) and Australia (35.3%). Parents rated MAP vaccination as safe and effective (mean = 5.13; 95% CI: 4.83-5.43), easy to use (mean = 5.51; 95% CI: 5.26-5.77), and acceptable (mean = 5.43; 95% CI: 5.18-5.68). Respondents preferred MAPs over traditional needle and syringe (N&S) methods for themselves and their children, particularly citing benefits for those with needle-related anxiety. Parents expressed stronger preferences for healthcare provider administration for children compared to themselves. MAP self-administration was also viewed positively. Participants indicated greater willingness to pay more for their child to receive the MAP vaccination compared to themselves. Findings suggest that parents perceive MAPs as a safe, usable, and acceptable alternative to N&S vaccination for themselves and their children.

Keywords: Parents; acceptability; immunization; microarray patch; usability; vaccination.