A Pre Experimental Study To Assess The Effectiveness Of Pamphlet On Knowledge Regarding Hexavalent Vaccination Among Mothers Of Children In Selected Paediatric Opd’s Of Pune City

Abstract

Background: Over the past two decades, several new vaccines have been developed, significantly enhancing protection against childhood infectious diseases. Hexavalent vaccines, which combine six essential vaccines—diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)—simplify immunization schedules and improve adherence. Despite their availability, maternal knowledge regarding these vaccines remains suboptimal, affecting timely vaccination. Educational tools like pamphlets have been shown to improve awareness and practices related to child health. Objective: To evaluate the impact of an educational pamphlet on mothers’ knowledge regarding hexavalent vaccination in paediatric outpatient departments of Pune city. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was adopted. One hundred mothers of children aged 0–5 years attending selected paediatric OPDs were purposively sampled. A validated structured questionnaire with 20 multiple-choice questions assessed baseline knowledge, categorized as poor, average, or good. After administering the pre-test, mothers received an educational pamphlet covering the diseases prevented, schedule, benefits, and side effects of the hexavalent vaccine. Post-test knowledge was assessed after review. Data were analysed using paired t-tests and chi-square tests to evaluate the effectiveness and associations with demographic variables. Results: Pre-intervention, 37% of mothers had poor knowledge, 57% had average knowledge, and only 6% had good knowledge. Post-intervention, 96% achieved good knowledge, with none remaining in the poor category. Paired t-test confirmed a highly significant increase in knowledge (t = 24.77, p < 0.001). Maternal education, employment status, and family income were significantly associated with baseline knowledge, whereas age of mother, age of child, and child’s gender were not. Conclusion: Educational pamphlets are highly effective in improving maternal knowledge regarding hexavalent vaccination. They offer a low-cost, accessible, and structured approach to health education, empowering mothers to make informed decisions, ensuring timely immunization, and potentially enhancing child health outcomes. Integrating pamphlet-based interventions into routine paediatric services can strengthen public health initiatives and improve vaccine coverage.