Parents’ Opinions and Knowledge About Vaccination in Poland - A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the fact that vaccines save many lives worldwide, in many countries, including Poland, the percentage of unvaccinated children is constantly growing. The main reasons for low immunisation coverage include parents’ concerns about the safety of vaccines, their fears related to possible adverse events following vaccination, and the increasingly powerful activity of anti-vaccine movements. It is necessary to monitor the public’s attitudes to vaccination in order to implement appropriate solutions to prevent a resurgence of epidemics. The aim of the study was to assess Polish parents’ opinions about and awareness of immunisation-related issues. METHODS: The study, based on an online survey, investigated Polish mothers’ attitudes towards the use of vaccines, their opinions regarding the sanctions for a failure to vaccinate a child, and the correlations between the result and the socio-demographic characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 646 responses were collected, including 593 from mothers from general-interest groups and 53 from anti-vax groups. Differences were identified in vaccination coverage among children of respondents from general-interest groups and anti-vax groups. The findings show that the respondents from anti-vax groups stopped vaccinating more often due to vaccine adverse events and inadequate response from doctors. CONCLUSION: Most of the respondents are aware of anti-vaccine movements and have a negative attitude to them, but these movements still influence the public. Also, the findings show a correlation between the level of education and a general attitude to immunisation – people with higher education more often have a negative opinion on this matter.