INFORMATIVE STUDY TO EXAMINE REASONS BEHIND
      VACCINE REFUSALS, RESISTANCES, AND BARRIERS
         MINISTRY OF HEALTH 
         OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
              Informative Study to Examine Reasons behind Vaccine Refusals, Resistances, and Barriers                  1
              INFORMATIVE STUDY TO EXAMINE REASONS 
               BEHIND VACCINE REFUSALS, RESISTANCES, 
                                                 AND BARRIERS 
                                                                   
                     MINISTRY OF HEALTH 
                     OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
     2
     Informative Study to Examine Reasons behind Vaccine Refusals, Resistances, and Barriers. / 
     А. Namazova, L. Minbaeva. – Б: 2018 – pages.  
     The publication presents results of a qualitative study which examined reasons behind vaccine refusals, 
     resistances, and barriers. It complements the quantitative data on knowledge, attitude and practice 
     on immunization, collected in 2017. The research was done by “Rebikon” Company for the Ministry 
     of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic with technical support from UNICEF under the Global Alliance for 
     Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) funding. 
     It was carried out in January 2018 with four types of respondents: mothers of under 5 children, fathers 
     of under 5 children, religious leaders, and healthcare professions. The data informed development of 
     communication strategy on vaccination for 2018-2021 and can be further used by health promotion 
     organisations in Kyrgyzstan to address vaccination hesitancy. 
     The opinions expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the United 
     Nations Children’s Fund and the organization does not bear any responsibility.
                                     @ UNICEF, 2018  
      
              Informative Study to Examine Reasons behind Vaccine Refusals, Resistances, and Barriers                  3
              TABLE OF CONTENTS 
              ABBREVIATIONS                                                                                        5
              ACKNOWLEDGMENT          6
              EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                                                                    7
              I. INTRODUCTION                                                                                      9
                      A. IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE RATES                                                               9
                      B. VACCINE REFUSALS FOR VPDS IN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC 2016/2017                                10
              II. STUDY OBJECTIVES                                                                                 11
              III. SAMPLE SIZE AND METHODOLOGY                                                                     12
                      A. PREPARATION OF SURVEY TOOLS AND FIELDWORK                                                 13
                      B. SELECTION AND TRAINING OF STUDY TEAM                                                      13
                      C. ETHICAL NORMS                                                                             14
                      D. MANAGEMENT OF THE STUDY                                                                   14
              IV. PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS                                                                           16
                      A. MOTHERS OF CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS AND LABOR MIGRANTS                                       16
                      B. FATHERS AND OTHER INFLUENCERS OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE 17
                      C. RELIGIOUS LEADERS                                                                          17
                      D. HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS                                                                   18
              V. STUDY FINDINGS                                                                                     19
                      A. AWARENESS OF VACCINATION                                                                   19
                              A1. Mothers of children under five years of age                                       19
                              A2. Internal Labor migrants                                                           21
                              A3. influentials (Fathers and Grandparents)                                           21
                              A4. Religious leaders                                                                 22
                      В. ATTITUDE TOWARDS VACCINATION                                                               23
                              В1. Mothers of children under five years                                              23
                              В2. Internal Labor migrants                                                           28
                              B3. Fathers and other persons who care for children under five years of age           28
                              B4. Religious leaders                                                                 30
                              В5. Healthcare professionals                                                          32
                      C. THE PRACTICE OF VACCINATION                                                                35
                              C1. Mothers of children aged under five years                                         35
                                     C.1.1  Internal labor migrants                                                 41