A STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE REGARDING OPTIONAL VACCINES AND BARRIERS TO USE AMONG MOTHERS OF UNDER FIVE CHILDREN IN KHEDA GUJARAT

ABSTRACT Introduction Vaccination is a straightforward and reliable method to safeguard oneself from dangerous diseases before encountering them. Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions in human history, significantly reducing the burden of infectious diseases and saving countless lives worldwide. Aim To determine knowledge and attitude regarding optional vaccines and barriers to use among mothers of under five children in Kheda district Methodology The non-experimental Descriptive Survey Research design used for this study. The study was conducted on 384 mothers of under five children from selected areas of Kheda district by systematic random sampling technique. A knowledge questionnaire tool, Likert attitude scale and barrier questionnaire was used for data collection. Result 240 (63%) of mothers have low knowledge, 123 (32%) have moderate knowledge, and 21 (5%) have good knowledge regarding optional vaccination. When 1 (0.3%) mother have Unfavourable attitude, 275 (71.6%) have moderate attitude, and 108 (28.1%) have favourable attitude towards optional vaccination. The mean score of attitude is 8.7083. The Correlation-Coefficient (r) of knowledge and attitude is 0.76. Conclusion The study highlights the disparity between knowledge and attitude regarding optional vaccination among mothers of under five children. Although the majority lack adequate knowledge, a considerable number still maintain a moderate attitude. This emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to improve understanding and promote positive attitudes toward optional vaccination.