Mothers as Active Partners in the Prevention of Childhood Diseases: Maternal Factors Related to Immunization Status of Preschool Children in Italy

Abstract

Background. We examined how maternal socio-demographic factors, together with mother's education, knowledge, and perception of immunizations, can affect the uptake of optional vaccinations of preschool children in Italy.Methods. Interviews of Italian mothers were performed using a structured questionnaire administered by trained interviewers with no specific medical competence.Results. A convenience sample of 1,035 mothers were interviewed. Fifty-nine percent of the respondents reported to have had their child immunized with the MMR vaccine and 54% reported to have had their child immunized against pertussis. In logistic regression analysis, three variables were significantly associated with both the immunization outcomes: mother's positive attitude toward immunization (OR = 1.69; IC 1.13–2.52 for pertussis; OR = 1.86, IC 1.17–2.96 for MMR); mothers' residency in the North of the country (OR = 1.74; IC 1.32–2.30 for pertussis; OR = 1.63, IC 1.18–2.24 for MMR); and mother's receipt of satisfactory information on immunization (OR = 1.67; IC 1.15–2.21 for pertussis; OR = 2.25, IC 1.47–3.43 for MMR). An immunization performed in recent years (after 1994), probably following the widespread use of acellular vaccine, was the most significant predictor for pertussis immunization (OR = 3.21; IC 2.43–4.24).Conclusions. The findings suggest that mothers' attitudes, educational level, and socio-demographic characteristics, as well as socio-economic factors and local health policies, can influence children's immunization uptake. Health promotion, based on a partnership between parents and health professionals, should become a priority in Italian vaccination policies.