Catch-Up Vaccination Intervention and Study of Infant Vaccine Hesitancy in Health District in Palermo (Italy)

BACKGROUND: Despite the introduction in 2017 of mandatory vaccination for the hexavalent and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccines, childhood vaccination coverage in Sicily (Italy) remains below the recommended and safety threshold of 95%. A catch-up vaccination intervention was implemented for the pediatric population of the 2022-2023 birth cohorts residing in a health district of Palermo (Bagheria) where in 2024, 24-month coverage for polio and measles was 77.29% and 77.62%, respectively. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with a before-after component was conducted between June 2025 and December 2025, with the aim of evaluating the increase in vaccination coverage. A questionnaire was administered to the parents of non-compliant children to investigate the determinants of infant vaccine hesitancy. RESULTS: = 0.026, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Despite methodological limitations, such as the self-reported nature of the survey data, the study demonstrated the usefulness of local strategies aimed at vaccination catch-up, representing a valuable example of local public health practice and effectively contributing to improved vaccination coverage in the pediatric population.