Varicella vaccine uptake and associated factors in children in Hong Kong

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 142; no. 5; pp. 994 - 1001
• Main Authors: CHAN, J. Y. C., LEUNG, K. M., TAM, W. W. S., LEE, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Chicken pox; Chickenpox; Chickenpox - epidemiology; Chickenpox - prevention & control; Chickenpox Vaccine - administration & dosage; Chickenpox vaccines; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease; Epidemiology; Families & family life; Family Practice; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hong Kong - epidemiology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunization; Infections; Infectious diseases; Kindergarten; Kindergarten education; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Missing data; Mortality; Original Papers; Parents; Parents & parenting; Pediatrics; Public health; Questionnaires; Response rates; Socioeconomic factors; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Varicella Zoster; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Hong Kong; Asia; China; Hong Kong China; United States > US; preschool children; varicella vaccine; Hong Kong; Chickenpox; Human; Infection; Skin disease; Viral disease; Tropical zone; Varicella; Vaccine; Child; Epidemiology; Uptake
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268813001994

Varicella is a common and highly contagious childhood disease which impacts the public worldwide. Hong Kong children can only be vaccinated against the disease in private practice. The varicella vaccination rate of local children in preschool is uncertain. Therefore a cross-sectional kindergarten-based parent-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in Hong Kong during 2012. Twelve kindergartens were randomly selected from a complete school list from the Education Bureau of Hong Kong. In total, 1285/1538 (83·6%) parents consented to join the study and completed the questionnaires. The overall varicella infection rate was 19·5% and the uptake of varicella vaccination rate was 57·6%. Barriers against varicella vaccination were mostly due to parental uncertainties about the effectiveness of vaccine, lack of recommendations from doctors or government, and adverse side-effects of the vaccine. The government and healthcare professional bodies are strongly recommended to further enhance health education among healthcare professionals, encouraging their active promotion of varicella vaccination for their patients. Furthermore, health education through various stakeholders is crucial to enhance parental awareness of varicella, as well as the effectiveness and safety of varicella vaccine.