Pediatric vaccinations in Italy: territorial disparities and proposals from healthcare workers to ensure equity

Pediatric vaccinations in Italy show uneven progress across regions and autonomous provinces, demonstrating a country with varying speeds in protecting against infectious diseases. According to 2025 data from the Ministry of Health, covering children born in 2023, thirteen areas do not reach the 95% coverage required for the hexavalent vaccine, the threshold considered essential to ensure herd immunity.

The most critical situations are found in Sicily, with 85,88% coverage, and in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, with 87,39%. These data highlight how place of residence significantly influences children's likelihood of vaccination protection.

To reduce these gaps, the National Register of Healthcare Assistants Commission of the FNO Tsrm and Pstrp has identified three strategic guidelines. The first concerns combating misinformation by strengthening vaccine literacy, meaning the ability of families to access, understand, and critically evaluate information about vaccinations, recognizing reliable healthcare sources.

For this reason, it is necessary to implement structured health and digital literacy programs that address the information needs of diverse populations, including through the constant and competent presence of health services both locally and online.

The second guideline concerns the pre-vaccination consultation, which must be valued as a crucial moment for building trust, addressing concerns, and encouraging informed choices. This meeting must be provided with adequate time, space, and professional recognition, and also represents an opportunity for health education and the early identification of specific needs.

Finally, the third director emphasizes the importance of adequate staffing of specialized personnel in prevention departments, particularly healthcare assistants. Strengthening professional resources is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of information strategies, family support, and widespread vaccination distribution.

Commission President Daniela Addis emphasizes that vaccination prevention cannot remain an unequal right based on one's area of ​​residence. The three proposed guidelines represent concrete investments to ensure equity and public health protection, strengthen trust in the National Health Service, and reduce regional disparities in pediatric vaccination coverage.