Vaccine attitudes among young adults in Asia: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Young adults may be facing growing threats from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). However, vaccination of young adults may not have drawn adequate attention. In Asia, adensely populated region with ahigh proportion of low-income countries, VPDs impose more of an economic and social burden than in western countries. However, knowledge about attitudes toward vaccines among young Asians is limited. This study aims to fill that gap by describing attitudes toward vaccines and how well they are accepted among young Asian adults through asystematic review of relevant Chinese and English publications. Methods: A three-stage searching strategy was adopted to identify eligible studies published during 2009–2019 according to the selection criteria, resulting in 68 articles being included. Results: The review finds that vaccination coverage among young Asians is generally lower than among their western peers, and there is a lack of relevant study in many Asian countries. Factors influencing young Asians’ attitudes toward vaccines are categorized into contextual level, individual and social level, and vaccine-specific level. Conclusion: These suggest that there is a need to strengthen young adults’ vaccination programs and to promote vaccine-related information and government.