The Relationship Between Perceived Vulnerability to Diseases and Anti-Vaccination Attitudes Among Healthcare Professionals

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the relationship between healthcare professionals’ perceived vulnerability to diseases and their anti-vaccination attitudes.Method: A descriptive, correlational design was employed. The study included 703 healthcare professionals working at a Training and Research Hospital between April 22 and September 15, 2025. Data were collected using a Participant Information Form, the Perception of Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire, and the Anti-Vaccination Scale–Short Form. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to examine the relationships among variables.Results: Participants had a mean score of 73.58 ± 13.45 on the Perception of Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire and 29.13 ± 9.39 on the Anti-Vaccination Scale–Short Form. A significant negative correlation was found between perceived vulnerability to diseases and anti-vaccination attitudes (r = –0.214, p < .001). Vaccine hesitancy emerged as the strongest predictor of anti-vaccination attitudes. Other factors, including perceived vulnerability, parenthood, and adherence to social distancing measures, were also significant predictors (p < .05). Overall, the regression model explained 44.8% of the variance in anti-vaccination attitudes (Adjusted R² = 0.445, p < .001).Conclusion: The findings suggest that healthcare professionals with higher perceived vulnerability to diseases are less likely to hold anti-vaccination attitudes. Vaccine hesitancy stands out as a major determinant of anti-vaccination. These results underscore the importance of strengthening professional training, promoting vaccine literacy, and supporting accurate risk perception, which may collectively improve immunization practices at both the individual and community levels.