"Risk factors for incomplete vaccination schedules in pediatric hematology-oncology patients in a secondary care hospital"

Vaccination is one of medicine's greatest discoveries. Millions of lives have been saved thanks to this invaluable public health strategy. Every year, the World Health Organization coordinates with health authorities in various countries to reach a larger segment of the global population with vaccines. However, the last ten years have presented a clinical and logistical challenge, as global vaccination coverage has declined due to various factors, including sociocultural and economic factors, infrastructure problems within each country's health system, and the 2019 pandemic. In Mexico, recent years have seen a significant drop in adherence to vaccination schedules across the population. Furthermore, specific vulnerable populations are more susceptible to infectious diseases, such as children with hematological malignancies . These children often experience immunosuppression and a degree of misinformation among the general population and within some sectors of the health system, which hinders adherence to the national vaccination program. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with incomplete vaccination schedules in children with hematological malignancies in remission treated at a secondary-level hospital. A structured questionnaire was administered to the guardians of patients in the pediatric oncology service of Regional General Hospital No. 1 in Orizaba, Veracruz. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 24, which revealed that the main barriers to completing these patients' vaccination schedules included incorrect medical decisions, lack of public awareness regarding the vaccination schedule, and infrastructure problems. Similarly, among sociodemographic factors, patient age was one of the main factors associated with incomplete vaccination schedules. It was concluded that educational interventions and updated protocols are essential to improve coverage in this vulnerable population.