8 out of 10 Parents Satisfied with the National Childhood Vaccination Support Program

KCDC Conducts Survey of 1,200 Adults with Children Under 12 Years Old

Nearly 8 out of 10 parents with children expressed satisfaction with the government's National Immunization Support Program, according to a recent survey.

Yonhap News

On the 25th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported that in the '2024 National Immunization Awareness Survey' conducted among 1,200 parents nationwide with children aged 12 or younger, 90.0% of respondents were aware of the children's National Immunization Support Program.

Regarding the 12 essential vaccinations for children under 6 years old, including tuberculosis (BCG), chickenpox, and influenza, the completion rate exceeded 90% for most items. Specifically, tuberculosis was at 96.5%, hepatitis B at 95.9%, pneumococcal vaccine at 93.8%, measles, mumps, and rubella at 93.3%, and rotavirus at 84.3%.

Responses indicating satisfaction with the 'Children's National Immunization Support Program' accounted for 77.3%, neutral responses were 20.6%, and only 2.1% expressed dissatisfaction. Those satisfied cited reasons such as "reduced financial burden allowing more vaccinations for my child (91.1%)," "convenient access to vaccinations at nearby clinics at suitable times (90.0%)," and "vaccination cost support slightly eased childcare expenses (87.9%)."

Furthermore, 96.0% of respondents felt that the national immunization program was beneficial for themselves and their children, and 94.6% expressed willingness to recommend the program to others.

When asked why they had not administered at least one of the 12 essential vaccinations, 36.2% of parents answered, "It is not yet the appropriate time according to the vaccination schedule." This was followed by "missed the vaccination period due to being busy (21.1%)" and "uncertainty about when to get vaccinated (18.4%)." Among those who had not yet vaccinated, 89.5% intended to do so in the future.

Awareness of vaccinations was generally positive. The perception that "vaccinations have a significant disease prevention effect" was held by 92.6%, which was higher than concerns about "adverse reactions (7.6%)."

More than 90% of respondents stated they would ensure their children receive all necessary vaccinations at the appropriate times. Specifically, 95.5% said, "No matter how busy I am, I will make sure my child gets vaccinated on time," and 92.6% said, "I will ensure my child receives all required vaccinations."

The COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly affect children's vaccinations. 56.6% of respondents said it had "no particular impact," while 29.8% said, "The COVID-19 pandemic actually highlighted the importance of vaccinations, having a positive effect."

Ji Young-mi, Director of the KDCA, stated, "While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in children worldwide who have missed vaccinations, Korea has maintained a high vaccination rate due to active public participation." She added, "As we approach a super-aged society, life-cycle vaccinations become increasingly important. Children and adolescents should not miss their scheduled vaccinations according to the national immunization calendar, and pregnant women and the elderly should receive necessary vaccines on time for their own and their families' health."