The effects of educatıon on chıldhood vaccınes gıven to pregnant women on vaccıne hesıtancy and vaccıne lıteracy: a randomızed controlled experımental study

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the effects of face-to-face education initiative supported by the “Educational Guide on Childhood Vaccination Hesitancy” given to pregnant women by the researcher on vaccine hesitancy and vaccine literacy. The present study was conducted as a pre-test/post-test randomized experimental study with control group in the Family Health Centre (FHC) of a province in the east of Türkiye between 12.06.2024 and 19.12.2024. G*Power analysis showed that a sample of 80 pregnant women would be enough, and the study was completed with the participation of 85 pregnant women. The participants were assigned to two groups through random sampling method. The pregnant women in the experimental group received an intervention with the education material prepared. The data were collected by using Pregnant Women Information Form, Vaccine Hesitancy 5 Likert Type Scale (VHS), and Vaccine Literacy Scale for Childhood Vaccines (VLS). According to the results of the study, experimental and control group were found to be similar in terms of descriptive characteristics. It was found that pre-intervention VHS scores of the experimental and control group were similar, while there was an increase in favour of the experimental group in post-intervention control test and post-test, which created a statistical difference ( p < 0.001). Pre-intervention VLS scores of the experimental and control group were found to be similar, while an increase was found in the experimental group in post-intervention control test and post-test, which caused a statistical difference ( p < 0.001). It was found that the intervention increased the level of vaccine literacy and decreased the level of vaccine hesitancy in pregnant women. Structured childhood vaccination education delivered during pregnancy reduced vaccine hesitancy and improved vaccine literacy, with these effects maintained at the third-week assessment. Studies with longer follow-up periods and postnatal vaccination outcomes are needed to determine whether these improvements persist and translate into vaccination behavior. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06530875; date of registration: July 28, 2024.