Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Parents of Healthcare Workers Towards Rotavirus Vaccination in Turkey

Abstract

Background/Aims:: This study's main goal was to find out what parents of children under the age of five who work in healthcare in Turkey know and think about the rotavirus (RV) vaccine, RV infection, and RV vaccination rates. Methods: The 'Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire' and the 'The RV Information/Vaccination Status Survey' both online surveys, were the two main tools used in this descriptive study, which involved 1317 willing participants who were parents of healthcare workers and was conducted between December 1, 2021, and May 1, 2022. The first focused on gathering crucial demographic information, while the second examined participant knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to rotavirus and its vaccination. Results: The mean age of participants was 33.76 ± 5.28 years. Of the participants, 70.3% were women, 47.3% were doctors, and 90.9% had a university or higher education level. 91.% stated that their children do not have any chronic disease and it was determined that 94.2% of them had their children regularly vaccinated with childhood vaccines. The RV vaccination rate was 55.6%, and 60.9% stated that their children had no previous RV infection. Of those who were infected with RV, 38.3% were hospitalized and treated. 85.2% of those with RV-infected children had no RV vaccine, and the reason why they did not have the vaccine was its high cost. Conclusions: This finding emphasizes how crucial it is to remove financial obstacles and improve accessibility to guarantee broader access to necessary vaccines, including the RV vaccine, to protect public health.