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Department of Social Pediatric, Instutie of Health Science, Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aksaray University , Aksaray , Turkey
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Department of Social Pediatric, Instutie of Health Science, Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey
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Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Aksaray University , Aksaray , Turkey
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Department of Pediatric Surgery, Alaeddin Yavasca State Hospital , Kilis , Turkey
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Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Research Hospital , Trabzon , Turkey
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University , Rize , Turkey
Parental vaccine hesitancy (VH) toward childhood immunization is a critical public health challenge affecting individual pediatric health and broader societal immunity. This study aimed to evaluate VH among parents of male children by comparing those whose children had congenital urogenital anomalies (CUA), specifically hypospadias and undescended testicles, with those of children without malformations. The assessment also incorporated family demographics, health literacy levels, and adherence to preventive health practices. This descriptive-analytical study included 409 participants, divided into two groups: parents of children presenting for elective circumcision without malformations (CNM) and parents of children diagnosed with CUA. Data were collected using a socio-demographic form, the Turkey Health Literacy Scale (TSOY-32), and the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS). High vaccine hesitancy was defined as scores in the upper quartile of the VHS (VHS-uQ). The overall vaccination rate among the children was 96.6% (n = 395). In the CUA group, the absence of routine vitamin D supplementation was associated with 25-fold higher odds of VHS-uQ (p < 0.001). Mothers with a high school education or higher demonstrated a 4.69-fold higher odds of VHS-uQ (p < 0.001). Conversely, COVID-19 vaccination of both parents was associated with lower VHS-uQ rates in both groups (p < 0.001). Interestingly, higher TSOY-32 scores were associated with a 4.57-fold higher odds of VHS-uQ (p = 0.034). This study identified maternal health literacy and adherence to routine preventive care as key determinants of VH among parents of children with CUA. indings suggest that fostering trust through continuous healthcare engagement and evidence-based counseling is a vital pathway to improving vaccine acceptance in this specific population.
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