Examination of thoughts and behaviors of parents with childeren aged 0-3 years regarding vaccine hesitancy

Objective: Vaccines are currently the most effective tool in preventing infectious diseases. Timely vaccination is crucial for preventing chronic disease burdens and reducing mortality and morbidity. Effective vaccination programs have led to a significant reduction in mortality rates due to infections in developing countries. Despite efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy through state policies and influential figures advocating for vaccinations, concrete statistical studies and data are still lacking. Therefore, understanding the thoughts and reasons behind vaccine hesitancy is essential to address parental vaccine refusal. This study aims to identify vaccine-related thoughts and attitudes and to propose measures for overcoming vaccine hesitancy among parents with children aged 0-3 years. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study employed a research data form presented face-to-face to parents with children aged 0-3 years attending the Healthy Child Follow-up Clinic at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine and Family Medicine Center No. 85 in Karabağlar. The research data form consisted of questions related to socio demographic information and attitudes, thoughts, and knowledge about vaccine refusal. Results: The study revealed that 52.8% of participants believed vaccines were highly necessary, 37.2% considered them necessary, 8.7% were undecided, and 1.3% deemed vaccines unnecessary. Moreover, 94.8% of parents adhered to the vaccination schedule for their children, 3% partially complied, and 2.2% did not adhere to the vaccination schedule. Parents who were knowledgeable about non-routine vaccines (Rotavirus and Meningitis vaccines) and had their children vaccinated against them showed a higher percentage of belief in the necessity of these vaccines compared to those who did not vaccinate their children with these vaccines. Furthermore, parents who knew about vaccines through academic publications were more likely to perceive vaccines as highly necessary, while those who obtained information from social media were less likely to have their children vaccinated according to the vaccination schedule. Parental uncertainty about vaccinating their children was higher if they were surrounded by individuals who refused vaccinations. Parents who had confidence in health authorities (pediatricians, family doctors, nurses, and the Ministry of Health) regarding vaccine-related information were more likely to adhere to the routine vaccination schedule, whereas those who believed health authorities were consistently wrong had lower compliance rates. During the Covid-19 pandemic, parents who received their vaccinations in an appropriate manner were also more likely to adhere to the routine vaccination schedule for their children. Conclusion: The number of families refusing vaccines has been increasing in Turkey since 2010, surpassing 10,000 according to data released by the Ministry of Health in 2017. At this rate of increase, it is estimated that the immunization rates in the country will drop to around 80% within approximately five years, leading to a significant rise in the incidence of rarely seen diseases and the re-emergence of diseases that are currently not prevalent in society. Our study showed that 94.8% of participants adhered to the vaccination schedule for their children, 3% partially complied, and 2.2% did not adhere to the vaccination schedule. Despite high vaccination rates, the downward trend is concerning, and we believe that vaccination/immunization education provided to parents by health authorities could help mitigate this negative trajectory. In the current environment of increased misinformation due to improper use and organization of social media, it is evident that training is required to address vaccine-related beliefs and compliance rates.