Attitudes and knowledge of parents about child vaccination

The participants in this study were parents living in Brod-Posavina County. The questionnaire consisted of 16 questions and was composed and administered online. The entire survey was conducted voluntarily and anonymously to protect the participants. In the first part, demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, level of education, employment, and monthly income were gathered. The second part checked whether the parents had vaccinated their children following the legal obligation, how well informed they were and whether they were satisfied with the amount of available information. The third part examined attitudes towards the benefits of vaccination, the side effects, etc. Based on the statistical data analysis, mothers who are married and highly educated are more likely to vaccinate their children than mothers with a high school diploma. Additionally, it is observed that men, especially single, are more likely to refuse vaccination. To conclude, gender and level of education play a major role in shaping opinions and behaviors regarding mandatory childhood vaccination. It can be assumed that highly educated women find it easier to get the information needed and to recognize what is true and what is false