Meital Simhi, Yana Shraga and Orly Sarid
Background: This study looked at mothers from the ultra-orthodox Jewish sector with the objective of obtaining information about their health beliefs and the behavior of these mothers regarding vaccination of their infants. Methods: The study took place between April- December 2009. A snowball technique of sampling was chosen, a technique that is frequently used in studies conducted among minority groups. Inclusion criteria were mothers under thirty years old. The questionnaire was filled out about children whose ages ranged from 18 months to 24 months. We contacted 127 ultra-orthodox mothers, of whom 85 (66.9%) consented to participate in the study and filled out the following questionnaires: Health Beliefs, Religious Beliefs, and demographic data. Vaccination behaviors were obtained by reviewing infant vaccination cards. Analysis of data included descriptive statistics, linear regressions and path-analysis model (SEM). Results: Most ultra-orthodox mothers vaccinate their infants against Hepatitis B (HBV-97%), polio (IPV-89.9%), Diphtheria,Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP-89.9%), Haemophilus influenza b (Hib-89.9%), pneumococcal infections (PCV13-87.3%), Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR-88.6%) and Varicella (Var-88.6%). Linear regression analysis and the path analysis model revealed that a mother’s vaccination behavior at a given time (t) is influenced by her vaccination behavior at a previous time (t-1): for example, vaccination behavior up to age two months is the most powerful predictor of vaccination behavior at the age of four months. Conclusions: It seems that the mothers’ behavior toward vaccinating their infants at age two months is critical to the continued shaping and stabilization of a regimen of vaccinations over the following months.