Vaccine Adherence: From Vaccine Hesitancy to Actual Vaccination and Reasons for Refusal of Childhood Vaccines in a Group of Postpartum Mothers.

Abstract

Background/aim: Vaccine refusal or delay remains a significant public health concern, leading to lower vaccination rates and increasing the risk of preventable diseases.

Patients and methods: The study included 404 mothers and 413 children, assessing vaccination coverage and conducting telephone interviews with mothers who declined vaccines to understand their reasons.

Results: Children of mothers who supported vaccination were more likely to be fully immunized compared to those with hesitant mothers. Among the incompletely vaccinated or unvaccinated children, 73.08% had mothers from the hesitant group (GNV). However, 90.05% of hesitant mothers still vaccinated their children with all recommended vaccines, while 9.95% maintained their refusal. Only 3.22% of the total sample, all from the GNV group, refused vaccination entirely. The primary reasons for refusal included fear of side effects, lack of trust in vaccines or the healthcare system, negative vaccination experiences, and influence from media or social platforms.

Conclusion: While vaccination behaviors may improve as a child grows, a significant proportion of hesitant parents continue to exist across different population groups, contributing to suboptimal vaccination coverage rates. The consistent implementation of unified, nationwide strategies aimed at increasing trust in vaccines and the vaccination process is essential for achieving protective vaccination rates.