Recommended Vaccinations During Adolescence: Parents' Knowledge and Behaviors

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Immunization

Background:

• Adolescent vaccination is crucial for preventing infectious diseases.
• Assessing parental knowledge is key to improving vaccine uptake in this age group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate parental knowledge regarding adolescent vaccinations.
• To identify factors associated with correct knowledge and vaccine uptake.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted among parents of middle and high school students in Southern Italy.
• Data were collected between February and April 2024.
• Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze factors influencing knowledge and vaccination status.

Main Results:

• Only 10.9% of parents demonstrated complete knowledge of adolescent vaccinations.
• Factors like parental education level and marital status were associated with higher knowledge.
• Over half of parents reported their children received indicated adolescent vaccinations, but only 37.2% reported HPV and meningococcal vaccination.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in parental understanding of adolescent immunization recommendations.
• Educational interventions targeting parents are essential to enhance vaccine knowledge and uptake.
• Public health initiatives should focus on improving adolescent vaccination coverage.