Rodzice Uchylający Się Od Szczepienia Ochronnego Dziecka w Okresie Noworodkowym ‒ Analiza Postaw(*)

Parents’ avoidance of vaccination is a growing phenomenon and leads to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation regarding diseases included in active prevention programs. The aim of the study was to analyze the attitudes of parents who avoid vaccination in newborns. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included parents who refused to perform vaccination in their newborn. A survey analyzing the attitudes of parents avoiding vaccination in newborns was performed in a tertiary referral hospital in the years 2015-2017. We gathered information concerning their demographic data, comprising the reasons for their decision, information sources and the implementation of vaccination in a child after six months. RESULTS: We observed an increase in the number of parents avoiding vaccination in the years 2015-2017 (1.58%, 2.54%, 2.83% respectively). The parents were mature (age 31.5-34.5 years), usually with university education (93%). 63% had more than one child. In large families, 67% of the parents had vaccinated their older children. The lack of honest medical information from the personnel, negative opinions from the Internet and other parents were the reasons for avoiding vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The insufficient activity of the medical personnel and the strong influence of anti-vaxxers’ opinions, which is easily accessible on social media, are the reasons for the nonoptimal implementation of the vaccination program. It is necessary to spread honest knowledge about the epidemiological threats concerning vaccine-preventable diseases and develop a skillful way of distributing it through all the possible ways of communication.