Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-8616.2025.1.11.66

COMPARISON OF PARENTAL ATTITUDES ON CHILD VACCINATION WITH REGARD TO MEDICAL EDUCATION

Ina Stašević orcid.org/0000-0002-7868-8365 ; Hrvatsko katoličko sveučilište, Ilica 242, 10 000 Zagreb, Hrvatska
Glorija Juren ; Children's Hospital Srebrnjak, Srebrnjak 100, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Darko Ropac orcid.org/0000-0002-9805-3869 ; Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia *
Brigita Bagara ; Clinical Medical Center Osijek, Josipa Huttlera 4, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

Objective: Examine the attitudes of parents towards vaccination of children as well as the
reasons for any negative attitude. In doing so, to determine whether there are differences in
attitudes depending on formal medical education.
Subjects and Methods: Data were collected from 100 participants at the Srebrnjak Children's
Hospital via an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 14 questions that
include some relevant parameters such as the age of the parents, number of children,
education, previous experience with vaccines, etc. The data were processed using the χ2 test,
with a significance level of p<0.01.
Results: Data processing determined that in the sample examined, which was divided into
those with and those without medical education, there was a significant difference in terms of
information about vaccination and the source of this information. The results show that
parents with medical education are significantly better informed than parents without medical
education. Regarding the influence of the media, a significant difference was found, with
those with medical education being less susceptible to media influence regarding child
vaccination. There was no significant difference according to the level of education, place of
residence, number of children in the family, frequency of vaccination and occurrence of
vaccination complications, reasons for negative attitude, or experience of other parents.
Conclusion: Medically educated parents have greater knowledge about vaccines and possible
complications of vaccination, consult professionals more often, and are less susceptible to
media influence, but regardless, they are equally skeptical about the benefits of vaccinating
their children.

Keywords

vaccination; children; parental education; parental attitudes

Hrčak ID:

331576

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/331576

Publication date:

27.5.2025.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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