Knowledge, Perception, and Intention to Promote Malaria Vaccination Among Students in Southwestern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION

Malaria remains a major public health burden in Nigeria, and the introduction of malaria vaccines offers a promising strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality. This study assessed knowledge, perception, and intention to promote malaria vaccination among health technology students in Southwestern Nigeria.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2025 among 300 students using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Spearman's correlation with approximate 95% confidence intervals, and HC3 robust multiple linear regression. Chi-square analyses of socio-demographic factors and intention were not interpreted because sparse cells violated test assumptions.

RESULTS

Most respondents demonstrated moderate (50.3%) to good (40.7%) knowledge of the malaria vaccine. A positive overall perception score-reflecting both supportive attitudes toward vaccination and awareness of implementation-related concerns-was observed in 63.7% of participants, while 81.3% showed high intention to educate and recommend vaccination. Median scores were 14.0/20.0 for knowledge, 34.0/40.0 for perception, and 39.0/40.0 for intention. Perception was strongly associated with intention (rho = 0.553, 95% CI 0.469-0.627, p < 0.001), whereas knowledge was not significantly associated with intention (rho = -0.095, p = 0.101). In robust regression, perception remained independently and strongly associated with intention (B = 0.455, 95% CI 0.371-0.539, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

While knowledge of malaria vaccination was moderate to good among health technology students, perception was more strongly related to intention to promote vaccination. Addressing misconceptions while strengthening accurate and context-sensitive vaccine communication is essential for improving future vaccine promotion.