Parental vaccine knowledge and behaviours: a survey of Turkish families.

Abstract

Personal and herd immunity require durability in high vaccination coverage rates, and this mainly depends on the interaction between parental and service/provider factors. The aim of this study was to assess Turkish parents' knowledge and behaviours concerning childhood vaccination and their association with familial sociodemographic characteristics. A cross-sectional survey, including a questionnaire, was conducted with parents of children aged between 1 day and 120 months. Of the 903 index children, 881 (97.6%) were up to date for all vaccinations by age. Demographic variables were not related to belief in protection through vaccination or rejection of obligatory vaccines. Mean age, education level, occupation of mother (P = 0.006, P < 0.001, and P = 0.01, respectively) and father (P = 0.002, P < 0.001, and P = 0.006, respectively), average monthly household income (P < 0.001), and experience of vaccine side-effects (P = 0.02) were associated with knowledge about optional childhood vaccines. Father's education level was independently associated with knowledge about optional childhood vaccines. Having any experience of vaccine side-effects and parental sociodemographic characteristics, especially father's education level, affect Turkish parents' knowledge of childhood optional vaccines.