Knowledge, Attitudes, and Barriers to the Utilization of Optional Vaccines among Mothers of Children under Five Years of Age in Kheda District, Gujarat

Introduction: Vaccination is an effective and a 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 non-probability purposive sampling technique. For the data collection researcher has prepared and used knowledge questionnaire, Attitude scale and to assess the barrier checklist questionnaire. 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.