Karabük ilinde sağlık kuruluşlarına başvuran 0-6 yaş çocukluk çağı aşıları ile ilgili bilgi, tutum ve aşı reddini etkileyen faktörler

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine parents’ knowledge levels regarding childhood vaccinations for the 0–6 age group, their attitudes toward vaccination, and the factors influencing vaccine refusal. The study was conducted between February 2025 and April 2025 with parents who had children aged 0–6 years and who visited Primary Family Health Centers in the central district of Karabük and the district of Safranbolu. A total of 252 parents participated in the study. Data were collected by the researcher under the researcher’s supervision using a questionnaire consisting of 47 questions developed by the researcher based on a literature review. The sample size was determined to be a minimum of 252 based on calculations performed for the One-Way ANOVA F test. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 27.0 software package; data were summarized using percentage distributions. Pearson Chi-square, Continuity Correction, and Fisher’s Exact tests were applied to examine the relationships between variables; a p<0.05 value was considered statistically significant. Mothers constituted 71.4% of the participants, while fathers constituted 28.2%. While 94.0% believed that childhood vaccinations were beneficial, 95.6% regularly followed the national vaccination schedule. The percentage of those who had heard of the concept of vaccine refusal was 79.4%, and it was determined that the most common reason for vaccine refusal (74.2%) was concerns about the reliability and protective nature of vaccines. When examining the relationship between parents’ sociodemographic characteristics (employment status, education level, occupation, place of residence, and number of children) and their vaccination status, no statistically significant difference was found in general. However, the existence of a positive perception of the benefits of vaccines was noteworthy. No significant difference was observed in parents’