Keywords: vaccine, anti-vaccine, health literacy, Family Medicine
Aim:
The aim of our study is to examine the effects of health literacy on anti-vaccination, the factors affecting health literacy and anti-vaccination in individuals aged 18-65 who applied to family health centers in Edirne city center.
Method:
Our study was carried out by using face-to-face interview technique with 296 people between the ages of 18-65 who applied to family health centers between April 1, 2022 and May 31, 2022 and agreed to participate in the study. In this cross-sectional study, the data were collected by applying a questionnaire including the participants' sociodemographic data and opinions about the vaccine, the long form of the Anti-Vaccination Scale and the Turkish Health Literacy-32 Scale.
Results:
Of the participants 161 (54,4%) were female and the mean age of the participants was 40,45±13,39 years. The mean score of the participants' anti-vaccination scale was calculated as 41,57±11,32, and the mean score of health literacy scale was 33,75±7,58. It was found that 10,5% of the participants had insufficient, 44,5% problematic-limited, 28,4% sufficient and 16,6% excellent health literacy levels. The rate of anti-vaccine/vaccine hesitancy was found to be 16.9%. In our study, a statistically significant relationship was found between age, chronic disease status, the number of applications to health institutions in the last year, the ability to pay health expenses and anti-vaccination. A statistically significant relationship was found between age, having a child, education level, monthly income level, perception of health status, ability to pay health expenses and health literacy. An inverse and significant relationship was also found between health literacy and anti-vaccination.
Conclusions:
Health literacy was found to be an important factor affecting anti-vaccination. Increasing health literacy will also reduce anti-vaccination. For this, all health workers and health authorities, especially family physicians, have important duties.
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