Review article
https://doi.org/10.32903/p.9.1.6
(UN)INFORMEDNESS OF PARENTS ABOUT VACCINATION OF CHILDREN OF EARLY AND PRESCHOOL AGE
Snježana Kanđera
; Kindergarten “Zvončić” Našice
*
Valentina Vondrak
orcid.org/0009-0000-3641-0042
; Kindergarten “Zvončić” Našice
Ines Majstorić
orcid.org/0009-0008-8922-5500
; Primary School “Dr. Stjepan Ilijašević” Oriovac
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways of preventing infectious diseases and a key factor in safeguarding public health. Despite its proven benefits, parental decisions regarding childhood vaccination are increasingly influenced by unverified sources of information, particularly on social media. In Croatia, vaccination is mandatory, and unvaccinated children may be restricted in exercising their right to enrol in preschool institutions, which raises a number of ethical and legal issues. The aim of this paper was to analyse the sources of information most trusted by parents and to examine how their level of informedness influences decisions on vaccinating children of early and preschool age. The paper is based on a systematic review of scientific literature published over the past ten years, with an emphasis on comparative approaches to mandatory and voluntary vaccination within the European context. The results indicate that parents’ level of informedness is a key factor in vaccination acceptance, with healthcare professionals and official health institutions playing an important role. It is concluded that education and transparent communication about the importance of immunisation are essential for increasing parental trust and maintaining high vaccination coverage rates.
Keywords
vaccination; informedness; parents; preschool education; public health
Hrčak ID:
345604
URI
Publication date:
10.12.2025.
Visits: 226 *