“To do, or not to do?”: determinants of stakeholders’ acceptance on dengue vaccine using PLS-SEM analysis in Malaysia

Background Dengue vaccine is a promising alternative for protecting communities from dengue. Nevertheless, public acceptance of the dengue vaccine must be considered before the authorities decide to carry out intensified research and recommend the vaccine adoption. This study aimed to assess the stakeholders' acceptability of the dengue vaccine and determine the factors that influence their intentions to adopt it. Methods Survey data collected from 399 respondents who represented two primary stakeholder groups: scientist (n = 202) and public (n = 197), were analysed using the partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. Results The findings revealed that the stakeholders claimed to have a highly positive attitude and intention to adopt the vaccine, perceived the vaccine as having high benefits, and displayed a high degree of religiosity and trust in the key players. The results also demonstrated that attitude and perceived benefits significantly influenced the intention to adopt the dengue vaccine. Furthermore, the perceived benefit was the most significant predictor of attitude to the dengue vaccine, followed by religiosity, attitudes to technology, and trust in key players. Conclusion The findings showed that the stakeholders in Malaysia were optimistic about the dengue vaccine with a positive attitude and perceived benefits as significant predictors of intention to adopt the vaccine. Hence, ongoing research can be intensified with the end target of recommending the vaccine for public adoption in hotspot areas. This finding contributes to the consumer behaviour literature while also providing helpful information to the government, policymakers, and public health officials about effective strategies for driving dengue vaccine acceptance in Malaysia and other countries with a history of severe dengue transmission. Keywords: Dengue vaccine, Attitude, Intention, Scientists, Public, PLS-SEM, Malaysia