Vaccination Approaches of Primary Healthcare Personnel and Their Communication Levels with Parents Having Childhood Vaccine Hesitancy

Abstract

Vaccines have saved more lives than any other health development in the 20th century. One of the most cost-effective programs for reducing infant/child morbidity and mortality is the vaccination of children against common vaccine-preventable diseases. Türkiye is one of the countries that has managed to achieve a significant reduction in the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases by increasing immunization rates. Currently, 13 different antigens are included in the vaccination calendar of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye, and all vaccines to be administered (vaccination calendar) are determined and continuously updated by the Immunization Advisory Board of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye. Our study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 410 family physicians and family health workers were included in the study. An interactive training meeting on vaccines, vaccine hesitancy, communication, and counseling was organized in 18 groups (including the study participants) in May-June 2019. A questionnaire form consisting of 24 topics was applied to the participants before the training presentation. When comparisons between groups were analyzed according to the answers given by the participants to some questions, it was found that 57.1% of the group with a good average of knowledge, attitude and behavior score reflecting the level of communication with parents with vaccine hesitancy had received training on vaccines and their characteristics, while 43.6% of the group with a poor average had received this training, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.008). Parents with vaccine refusal were most hesitant about Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine (87.7%). Healthcare professionals play a very important role in the provision of healthcare services and in the decision-making of families about vaccination with the counseling they provide all over the world. To reduce vaccine hesitancy, continuous education activities on vaccination for health professionals, the creation of educational materials for public education, the use of mass media, and legal regulations can be made.