Abstract

Influenza remains a major public health concern worldwide and is associated with a substantial burden in children, particularly in those with chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. This brief overview aimed to provide a preliminary examination of the available evidence on parental knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of influenza vaccination, with a specific focus on children with asthma. The literature showed substantial variability in vaccination uptake, but overall rates were consistently suboptimal. Several factors were associated with higher vaccine acceptance, including healthcare professionals’ recommendations, greater parental awareness of influenza-related risks, trust in vaccine effectiveness, and increased perception of asthma severity. In contrast, poor knowledge, safety concerns, misconceptions about vaccines, and lack of medical advice were the main barriers to vaccination. Some studies also suggested a role for socioeconomic and healthcare access factors, although findings were not always consistent. Overall, parental acceptance of influenza vaccination in children with asthma appears to depend on a combination of clinical, social, and perceptual factors. Enhanced research efforts and targeted educational interventions may help improve vaccine uptake in this high-risk population; however, the current evidence remains limited, and further studies using validated methods are needed to better characterize the determinants of vaccine hesitancy and acceptance over time in this specific context.

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Authors

Marianna Riccio - Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

Anna Maria Zicari - Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Marzia Duse - Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

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Copyright (c) 2026 Italian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

How to Cite
Riccio, M., Zicari, A. M., & Duse, M. (2026). Acceptance of Influenza Vaccination in Asthmatic Children: What Does the Evidence Show?. Italian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 40(1), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.53151/2531-3916/2026-2244
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