An effective malaria vaccine has the potential to change the face of children’s health in high-burden countries. More than 260,000 African children succumb to malaria each year. “This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health, and malaria control,” said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”

GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, announced its intentions in December 2021 to help fund the rollout of the vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa. Others in the global health community, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), PATH, and UNICEF, have also stepped in to boost production of the vaccine.

Vaccine production is only one part of the equation, however. Demand is also crucial. As witnessed in the current COVID-19 crisis, vaccine demand often hinges on public perception. With childhood vaccines, including the new malaria vaccine, the perceptions of parents are the most consequential.

To explore parents’ perceptions of the new and potentially revolutionary malaria vaccine, GeoPoll conducted an SMS mobile phone-based survey in February 2022 in several high-burden malaria countries: three from the original vaccine trial (Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi), as well as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Mozambique. The survey addressed a number of topics related to the vaccine, including:

• Parent perceptions of routine childhood vaccines
• Awareness of the new malaria vaccine
• Intent to vaccinate for malaria and reasons for hesitancy
• Impact of COVID-19 vaccines on parent perceptions

Findings from the survey are summarized in this post. To view the full results, filterable by question, country, gender, and age group, scroll down to the Interactive Data Dashboard.

As part of this study, additional data was collected using questions grounded in Social and Behavior Change (SBC) theory. GeoPoll considered it crucial to ground certain survey questions in SBC theory to help inform communication interventions going forward. The findings from that component of the study will be released in the coming months.

Methodology

The study questionnaire was designed by GeoPoll researchers in collaboration with PATH. PATH, the nonprofit global health organization, has been involved in the development and introduction of this malaria vaccine since 2001.

The study was conducted in English in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Uganda; French in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Portuguese in Mozambique (7 countries total).

The sample size for the study was 400 respondents per country and 2,800 total. Although not purely scientific as there were no strict measures to limit demographic quotas, a diverse mix was achieved, with a gender composition of 43% females and 57% males; an age breakdown of 26% ages 18-25, 37% ages 26-35, and 36% ages 36 and over; and representation from every ADM1 location within each country.

All respondents were parents, with at least 1 child ages 5 or younger living at home.

It is important to note that this study is just an assessment of a relatively small sample of parents’ perceptions about the new malaria vaccine. The goal of this study is to draw attention to the topic and promote further larger-scale scientific research needed to direct complex public health policies.

Routine Childhood Vaccinations

Over the past few decades, the expansion of childhood vaccination services has helped prevent the deaths of millions of children each year. Yet despite tremendous progress, many children around the world have insufficient access to vaccines – particularly in low- and middle-income countries, including many countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Vaccine coverage rates vary significantly between and within countries, however. In our study, the percentage of parents that have or intend to vaccinate their youngest child (routine childhood vaccinations) ranges from 76% in Malawi to 95% in Uganda. The percentages remain consistent regardless of the age or gender of the parent.

Although the fact that 88% of parents overall have or intend to vaccinate their youngest child illustrates the progress of recent years, that percentage still lags behind other regions of the world according to WHO.

At least part of the reason for that lag can be attributed to the perceived benefit of vaccines. Although more than 30 million African children under the age of five suffer from vaccine-preventable diseases every year, and half a million die, only 81% of parents in our study “strongly agree” with the statement that vaccines benefit their child’s health. That number drops down to 75% in Malawi and 67% in Ghana. Parents in Mozambique are the most likely to strongly agree with the statement at 91%.

While only 1% of respondents overall disagree that vaccines benefit their child’s health, the fact that 15% “somewhat agree” shows at least some level of vaccine hesitancy.

Malaria Vaccine Awareness and Intent

WHO helped launch the malaria vaccine pilot program for children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi in 2019. The success of the program led to the organization’s recommendation for widespread use of the vaccine in endemic countries in October 2021.

As Ministries of Health and international partners work to accelerate production, procurement, and deployment of the malaria vaccine, we asked parents in sub-Saharan Africa several questions to assess their awareness of and demand for the new vaccine.

Overall, less than half of the parents surveyed (44%) say they have heard of the new malaria vaccine.

Although the pilot program appears to have heightened awareness in Kenya (52%) and Malawi (50%), parents in Ghana are least likely to have heard of the vaccine at 34%. None of the non-pilot countries top 45% in awareness.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, the opportunity and need clearly exist for governments and global health partners to promote the vaccine as it becomes available.

Despite relatively low awareness of the new vaccine at this stage, demand is fairly high. Overall, 81% of parents in our study say they intend to take their child to get the malaria vaccine if it is available. The percentages range from 76% in Ghana and Malawi to 88% in Mozambique.

Convenience does not appear to be an obstacle. Across countries, 93% of parents say they would make an extra visit to a health center to get their child immunized if required.

Only 3% of respondents say they do not intend to take their child to get the malaria vaccine and would not make an extra visit to do it if required. Their justification is distributed between, “my children are protected from malaria already” (36%), “I don’t know enough about the vaccine” (36%), and “my children get enough vaccines already” (27%).

The 15% of parents who say they might get their child vaccinated but need more information is understandable considering most were unaware of the vaccine prior to the survey. The information they are most interested in is whether the vaccine is safe (58%), followed by if it will help if they already have bed nets (26%).

Providing parents with information about the malaria vaccine’s safety and effectiveness should be a priority for governments and other stakeholders.

Impact of the COVID-19 Vaccines

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has pushed vaccines to center stage. The race to develop and rollout vaccines in the fight against COVID-19 is a testament to modern science. From the beginning, however, false information and myths about the vaccines spread almost as quickly as the virus, leading to political strife, conspiracy theories, and vaccine hesitancy.

In this environment of heightened vaccine awareness and sensitivity, we asked parents if the COVID-19 vaccine changed their perceptions about vaccines.

Most respondents across countries (62%) say the COVID-19 vaccine did change their perceptions about vaccines – for the better. That viewpoint is especially prevalent in Mozambique (80%). Mozambique recently reported its first day of zero COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began, and authorities largely attribute the milestone to the country’s mass vaccination campaign.

No higher than 18% of respondents in any country say the COVID-19 vaccine changed their perceptions about vaccines for the worse.

More than half of respondents (51%) have gotten their information about the COVID-19 vaccines from “Radio and TV,” emphasizing the importance of that medium for pushing out information about the new malaria vaccine. The next most relied upon information source is “healthcare workers” at 24%.

The sources used remain relatively consistent across countries, gender and age group.

Conclusion

Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa. The region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden, with children’s risk of both contracting and dying from the illness far higher than anywhere else in the world.

WHO’s historic recommendation for the widespread use of the new malaria vaccine in October 2021 reignites hope for the eventual eradication of malaria on the continent. Although less than half of parents in our study had heard about the new malaria vaccine prior to the survey, demand is high, with 81% saying they intend to take their child to get the malaria vaccine if it is available. Understandably, some parents are hesitant until they get more information – particularly about whether the vaccine is safe.

Most parents in our study believe that vaccines benefit their children’s health, and the COVID-19 vaccines have only strengthened that perception. If governments and the global health community continue their efforts to boost production, deployment, and awareness of the new malaria vaccine, the opportunity exists to take significant steps forward in the decades-long battle against the deadly disease.

Interactive Data Dashboard

Dive deeper into the full results from this study using the interactive dashboard below. The dashboard provides responses to each question in the survey, filterable by country, age group, and gender.

Collecting Data for International Development and Relief

This study was implemented by GeoPoll via SMS using our own mobile research platform and respondent database. Data collection occurred from January 28 to February 23, 2022, with some countries completing data collection earlier than others.

GeoPoll has developed unique remote research systems, a large respondent database, and the experience to be able to assist essential humanitarian interventions through the provision of fast, reliable information in any circumstance.

We have worked with international development groups and governments on myriad topics, including humanitarian aid, education, employment, food security, combatting violent extremism, climate change, disease outbreaks, and financial inclusion, among many others. For more information about GeoPoll’s capabilities conducting humanitarian research around the world, please contact us.

The post GeoPoll Reports: Parent Perceptions of the Malaria Vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

An effective malaria vaccine has the potential to change the face of children’s health in high-burden countries. More than 260,000 African children succumb to malaria each year. “This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control,” said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”

GeoPoll SMS Malaria Vaccine Survey

To explore parents’ thoughts and reactions to this potentially revolutionary vaccine, GeoPoll is conducting an SMS mobile phone-based survey in several high-burden malaria countries: three from the original vaccine trial (Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi), as well as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Mozambique. By comparing trial and non-trial countries, the SMS survey will help determine if news of the trial was widespread and affected parents’ perceptions of the vaccine.

SMS surveys have the potential to reach a wide range of individuals across countries in a timely manner. As such, the surveys can be used to provide quick insights into the reactions to new global health tools and to help “take the pulse” of the situation.

Social and Behavior Change Theory

The questions in this survey are grounded in Social and Behavior Change (SBC) theory, drawing on elements of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Key questions around perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy derive from the HBM framework, while questions stemming from TPB include attitudes towards behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.

GeoPoll considered it crucial to ground the survey questions in SBC theory to help inform communication interventions. As witnessed in the current COVID crisis and additional research on vaccine hesitancy around the world, the availability and supply of vaccines is not enough. Demand is also crucial – and including SBC communication efforts in key interventions may help increase demand.

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GeoPoll looks forward to following up this blog entry with a post-survey discussion of the research findings and implications. It is our hope that this study will provide insights into possible areas for further exploration and kickstart additional research by a wide range of organizations.

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The economic slowdown caused by the pandemic has disproportionally impacted the most marginalized countries and individuals of the world. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the economic losses are expected to be much higher in emerging markets than in advanced economies. On an individual level, the virus has deepened inequality across sub-Saharan Africa with young and low-skilled workers, women and refugees bearing the brunt of the downturn.

Looking ahead, the opportunity to interrupt virus transmissions and initiate social and economic recovery in sub-Saharan Africa largely hinges on the availability and distribution of vaccines. The pandemic, however, has also exposed global inequalities in health care. At this point there are simply not enough doses available to inoculate entire African nations in the near term. The spread of false information and conspiracy theories has also led to an increase in vaccine hesitancy, further complicating vaccination efforts.

After living with the pandemic for more than a year, many questions and uncertainties remain. As a follow up to GeoPoll’s 2020 reports on the impact of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, GeoPoll conducted a survey to assess the ongoing effects of the pandemic on respondents’ finances, spending, and health, their thoughts and concerns about the vaccine, and their hopes for the future. This report details the results from that survey.

The study was conducted in March 2021 in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa. The main topics covered include:

• Changes to consumer finances, spending, and mobile money usage
• Perceptions about the government response to the virus and the trustworthiness of information available
• Anticipation about the availability and willingness to take the vaccine
• Adherence to public health measures and changes to mental and physical health

Findings from this study illustrate the ongoing disruption of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Incomes and spending continue to fall since our study in November 2020, while prices have risen. The percentage likely to take the vaccine if it was available has decreased since November, as has optimism about when that might be. Despite these hardships, several positive trends surfaced in this study, including improvements in emotional and physical health.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or view data in the interactive dashboard.

Data: Financial Impact, Government Response, Likelihood to Take the Vaccine, and more.

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Consumer spending is also experiencing changes; as the holiday season approaches, a study from McKinsey in South Africa found ongoing reductions in discretionary spending, and that 88% of households expect to spend the same or less on the holidays as they did last year. In the meantime, news of pending vaccines is bringing hope that normalcy may return in 2021.

With these topics in mind, in November 2020 GeoPoll conducted a study in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa to gauge how lives have changed in 2020, people’s views on the future, and their willingness to take a vaccine.

This report compares results from this most recent study with GeoPoll’s previous studies, which covered topics from the perception of the disease to the economic impacts of COVID-19 in multiple African countries. The main topics covered in this study are:

• Changes to routines, mental and physical health since COVID-19
• The ongoing economic impact of COVID-19
• Changes to consumer spending, ecommerce and mobile money usage during COVID-19, and predicted holiday spending in 2020
• Perceptions of vaccines and willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine

Findings demonstrate that COVID-19 continues to have huge impacts on the financial stability of those in sub-Saharan Africa, and that these financial impacts are leading to mental health challenges for many. The effects of the virus are especially pronounced in Kenya and South Africa, where restrictions have been the most severe.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or view data in the interactive dashboard.

Data: Financial Impact, Vaccine Acceptance, and more in 6 African Nations

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The post GeoPoll’s 2020 Year End Report: Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 in 6 African Countries appeared first on GeoPoll.

Viewership of Quarter-Finals by Audience Share

A majority of football fans in the continent tuned in as Sweden conceded 2 goals to England. The 33% average total share drawn from 6 African countries may be attributed to the timing and the ‘English Premier League’ factor. The match aired at night which is more convenient, unlike the day matches which caught many fans at work and/or away from their favorite viewing venues.  England’s whole squad of 23 players come from the Premier League whose popularity in Sub-Saharan Africa is only rivaled only by Asia. An estimated 276 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa watch the Premier League every year.

The 2^nd most watched quarter-final was between Brazil and Belgium. The match also aired at night with an average of 30% of all TV viewers watching as the Brazilians were sent packing. It was sad for many fans to see the one of the most favored World Cup football team go home. In a recent survey by GeoPoll a month to the start of the 2018 World Cup, A majority of the respondents (22%) drawn from 6 African countries predicted Brazil as the winners.

As the French team sent Uruguay home with a 2 nil defeat, an average of 30% of all TV viewing audiences tuned in. There has been a peculiarly keen interest by African fans towards the French team due to what is now been termed as the ‘African’ element. According to the South African, 17 players on France’s 23 man roster at this year’s World Cup have African roots.

The least watched quarter-final was as Croatia beat Russia on home soil to secure their chance in facing England tomorrow, Wednesday 11^th July. An average of 26% of all TV viewing audiences watched this match from across 6 countries.

Viewership of Quarter-Finals by Channel Share

NTV achieved higher audience share compared to other World Cup broadcasting channels in Kenya throughout all the matches. Their highest peak was during the Uruguay vs France where they commanded 19% of all TV viewing audiences.

In Ghana and Nigeria, Supersport had the highest channel share of 29% during the match between Uruguay vs France and a tie in channel share in Nigeria at 11% as England beat Sweden and Belgium beat Brazil to qualify.

In Uganda, Supersport and Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) had the highest viewership during quarter-finals with strong competition been observed between the 2 stations which attained an average of 9% channel share for each game.

In Tanzania, TBC1 achieves the highest audience share in all the quarterfinal matches with a 20% channel share lead during the match between Uruguay vs France

France vs Belgium Showdown

Today’s first semifinal match between France and Belgium will most likely spike the viewership from the continent as a cross-section of football fans continue to view the France team as the last standing ‘African’ team.

According to CNN, Tuesday 10^th will be the first time Belgium has contested a World Cup semifinal in 32 years. The same article notes that for Thierry Henry, his loyalties are ‘split’ between his country team France where he remains as the all-time leading scorer for the French team and his current role as the assistant coach for the Belgium national team.

Football coming home

According to FIFA, England is known as the home of football as the history of football can be traced back to Britain. Shouts of ‘Football’s coming home’ which started at the quarterfinals have now become deafening. As they face Croatia on Wednesday 11^th July, we will be following all the action to bring you the viewership numbers from across Sub-Saharan Africa

GeoPoll has been and continues to collect media audience measurement data throughout the World Cup in Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, and Rwanda.  Contact us now to get these deeper insights into the World Cup viewership in Africa or to sign up for our audience measurement service.

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