Prevalence of Turkish Parent Refusal and Hesitance Rate and Its Associated Factors in Childhood Vaccination

Abstract

Background: Rejection of childhood vaccination is still major issue in many counters. The aim of the study was to assess prevalence of Turkish parent refusal and hesitance rate and its associated factors in Childhood vaccination. Material and Methods: A cross- sectional study was carried out at General Pediatric Poly Clinic of Ankara Keçören Training and Research Hospital from January -April2020. Data was collected using a questionnaire via face to face interview parents. We included parents who have 6 months to 7 years old children who visited the clinic during the study period and who accepted to join the study. Results: A total of 809 mothers and 132 fathers participated in the survey.  Among the parents, 1.2% of them refused vaccination of their children and 4.8 % of them incomplete vaccination of their children. More than half (67.4%) of parents have a high level of knowledge about vaccines. knowledge level was statistically significant different based on the participant’s occupation, income, education background and fathers age (P <0.05). Majority (72.2%) of the participants had good attitudes towards childhood vaccination, there is no statistically significant based on their occupation, age, income and education background (P > 0.05). Parents who has one child bad attitudes to vaccines (35,4%). Conclusion: Among the participants, 1.2% of them refused vaccination of their children and 4.8 % of them incomplete vaccination of their children. Factors related to vaccine rejection and hesitancy were related to not enough knowledge and poor attitude towards the childhood immunization.