Knowledge and Attitudes of Healthcare Professionals toward Childhood Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study from Istanbul

INTRODUCTION: Sustainability of health systems and protection of public health around the world depend on effective management of epidemics. However, vaccines have become a controversial issue in some circles. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge level and behavior of doctors and healthcare professionals working in a training and research hospital in Istanbul regarding childhood vaccines.
METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians and healthcare professionals working at Sultangazi Haseki Training and Research Hospital. The survey included 33 items divided into 3 sections: Demographics, vaccination behavior, and Likert-type knowledge questions. The vaccine knowledge score was calculated for each participant. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the Likert-type items was 0.789, indicating good internal consistency.
RESULTS: A total of 340 participants were included. Specialist physicians and those working in pediatric units had a significantly higher vaccine knowledge level. In response to whether routine vaccines should be legally mandatory, 10.1% of physicians and 30.4% of allied health professionals disagreed.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Vaccine knowledge and attitudes differed by profession and workplace. Specialists and pediatric staff exhibited more positive views toward vaccination.

Keywords: Attitude of health personnel, health personnel, immunization programs, preventive health services, vaccination