A Description of the Factors Contributing to Polio Vaccination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

The current study aimed to explore various social factors contributing to refusal to polio vaccination. This study has been carried out in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This study focuses on finding the role of religious misperception, terrorism, lack of mobilization and lack of awareness and education in refusal to polio vaccination in the study area. The study is framed under quantitative research design. Stratified random sampling has been utilized for sampling and the information has been collected through structured interview schedule. The information has been analyzed in shape of tables (uni-variate) and cross-tables (Bi-variate). Findings of the study are theorized into four dimensions; first, religious misconception is one of the important factors contributing to refusal to polio vaccination; second, terrorism and lack of security (e.g. Talibanization) leads to refusal to polio vaccination; third, lack of social mobilization significantly contributes to refusal to polio vaccination in the study area; fourth, lack of awareness and education in the study area is responsible for refusal to polio vaccination. Further, bi-variate analysis shows that religion misperceptions, terrorism, lack of mobilization and lack of awareness and education play a significant role in refusal to polio vaccination.