Factors associated with poor adherence to MMR vaccination in parents who follow vaccination schedule

Abstract

Due to median vaccination coverage far from elimination level, Italy is still an European country with high number of measles cases per million of people. In this study we explored potential socioeconomic, medical and demographic factors which could influence the propensity of family members for measles vaccination schedule.

A cross-sectional study was performed through a questionnaire administered to the parents of children who received the first dose of MMR vaccine in two different vaccination centers in the Palermo area from November 2012 to May 2013.

Overall, the role played by internet (OR 19.8 P = 0.001) and the large number of children in a family (OR 7.3 P ≤ 0.001) were the factors more associated to be unvaccinated, whereas the birth order of the child (OR 0.3 P = < 0.05 for the oldest children vs. the closer young one) and reporting a lack of MMR vaccination as a “personal decision” (OR 0.19 P ≤ 0.01) inversely correlated with the risk of quitting vaccination.

These findings can be useful for a better knowledge of disaffection to vaccination practice in local settings and could contribute to improve and maintain timely uptake, suggesting approaches to optimize the uptake of MMR tailored to the needs of local populations.

Keywords: :

• measles
• vaccination refuse
• children
• Italy
• internet
• family members
• birth order
• personal decision

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Acknowledgements

The Authors thank Dr Nicola Casuccio (Department of Medical Prevention, U.O.C. of Public Health, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine), Dr Claudio D’Angelo (Department of Medical Prevention, U.O.S. Prevention of Infectious Diseases), Dr Antonino Zambito (Department of Medical Prevention, Responsible for Pallavicino Vaccination Center), and Dr Mirella Patané (Department of Medical Prevention, Responsible for Oreto Vaccination Center), for their support in designing and conducting the study.