Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children

Objective: Immunization is one of the most important public health interventions. However, vaccine hesitancy has increased in the last few years. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of families regarding immunization of 12-60-month-old children. Material and M...

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Main Authors: Neslihan Argüt, Gonca Keskindemirci, Ayşe Kılıç, Emine Gülbin Gökçay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Istanbul University Press 2023-03-01
Series:Çocuk Dergisi
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Online Access:https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/C776E95073A048A9B7E3BE76836628F9
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author Neslihan Argüt
Gonca Keskindemirci
Ayşe Kılıç
Emine Gülbin Gökçay
author_facet Neslihan Argüt
Gonca Keskindemirci
Ayşe Kılıç
Emine Gülbin Gökçay
author_sort Neslihan Argüt
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Immunization is one of the most important public health interventions. However, vaccine hesitancy has increased in the last few years. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of families regarding immunization of 12-60-month-old children. Material and Methods: The data were collected through face-to-face interviews and a questionnaire based on the literature review. A total of 218 families with children aged 12-60 months who visited the general pediatrics outpatient unit for various reasons constituted the study population. Results: Of all the families, 87.6% considered vaccines to be necessary for their children. Among all families, 99.1% reported that their children were vaccinated and 96.3% stated that their children were fully immunized. Most of the parents (%97.7) said that being immunized protects their children’s health. Hygiene (39.9%) was reported as the most common way to protect against contagious disease. Of all families, 62.8% knew at least two vaccines in the national program, 3.2% knew the vaccines that are not in the program, and 51.4% knew the vaccine-preventable diseases. Of all families, 29.4% mentioned measles as a vaccine-preventable disease. 74.1% knew at least two vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines. As maternal education level increased, knowledge about vaccine-preventable diseases also increased. Only 44.5% of families reported the name of the first vaccine applied at birth. 40.8% of families stated that immunization was completed at age 2. 29.8% of families vaccinated their children using vaccines that they had to pay for; 80.3% of families stated that they will vaccinate their children if they were informed about the need. Maternal educational level, maternal employment status, and being informed increased implementation of vaccines not in the national program. 86.7% of families reported that they consider doctors’ suggestions about vaccination. Conclusions: Families have a lack of knowledge regarding vaccines; maternal educational level, maternal employment status, and being informed increased vaccination rates of vaccines not in the national program.
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series Çocuk Dergisi
spelling doaj-art-083bc1503c2f4e368f810385daee14b42025-08-20T02:57:43ZengIstanbul University PressÇocuk Dergisi1308-84912023-03-012311710.26650/jchild.2023.866444123456Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old ChildrenNeslihan Argüt0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9646-2522Gonca Keskindemirci1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1797-2802Ayşe Kılıç2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7577-1358Emine Gülbin Gökçay3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1042-0407İstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul, Türkiyeİstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul, Türkiyeİstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul, Türkiyeİstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul, TürkiyeObjective: Immunization is one of the most important public health interventions. However, vaccine hesitancy has increased in the last few years. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of families regarding immunization of 12-60-month-old children. Material and Methods: The data were collected through face-to-face interviews and a questionnaire based on the literature review. A total of 218 families with children aged 12-60 months who visited the general pediatrics outpatient unit for various reasons constituted the study population. Results: Of all the families, 87.6% considered vaccines to be necessary for their children. Among all families, 99.1% reported that their children were vaccinated and 96.3% stated that their children were fully immunized. Most of the parents (%97.7) said that being immunized protects their children’s health. Hygiene (39.9%) was reported as the most common way to protect against contagious disease. Of all families, 62.8% knew at least two vaccines in the national program, 3.2% knew the vaccines that are not in the program, and 51.4% knew the vaccine-preventable diseases. Of all families, 29.4% mentioned measles as a vaccine-preventable disease. 74.1% knew at least two vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines. As maternal education level increased, knowledge about vaccine-preventable diseases also increased. Only 44.5% of families reported the name of the first vaccine applied at birth. 40.8% of families stated that immunization was completed at age 2. 29.8% of families vaccinated their children using vaccines that they had to pay for; 80.3% of families stated that they will vaccinate their children if they were informed about the need. Maternal educational level, maternal employment status, and being informed increased implementation of vaccines not in the national program. 86.7% of families reported that they consider doctors’ suggestions about vaccination. Conclusions: Families have a lack of knowledge regarding vaccines; maternal educational level, maternal employment status, and being informed increased vaccination rates of vaccines not in the national program.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/C776E95073A048A9B7E3BE76836628F9vaccinesknowledgeattitudefamilychild
spellingShingle Neslihan Argüt
Gonca Keskindemirci
Ayşe Kılıç
Emine Gülbin Gökçay
Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children
Çocuk Dergisi
vaccines
knowledge
attitude
family
child
title Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children
title_full Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children
title_fullStr Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children
title_full_unstemmed Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children
title_short Vaccine Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Families of 12-60-Month-Old Children
title_sort vaccine knowledge attitudes and practices of families of 12 60 month old children
topic vaccines
knowledge
attitude
family
child
url https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/C776E95073A048A9B7E3BE76836628F9
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AT aysekılıc vaccineknowledgeattitudesandpracticesoffamiliesof1260montholdchildren
AT eminegulbingokcay vaccineknowledgeattitudesandpracticesoffamiliesof1260montholdchildren