Rates and determinants of Rotavirus vaccine uptake among children in Italy: a cross-sectional study within the 2022 OBVIOUS* project

The World Health Organization defines rotavirus as among the most severe causes of viral gastroenteritis affecting children under 5 year old. Italy and other European countries do not release disaggregated data on rotavirus vaccination coverage. This study aimed to assess the uptake and drivers of rotavirus vaccination in Italy. We administered a survey to 10,000 Italian citizens recruited via an online panel and proportionate to key demographic strata. We examined rotavirus vaccine uptake among parents whose youngest child was aged 6 weeks to 4 years, their sociodemographic characteristics, their beliefs about vaccine administration, and who recommended the rotavirus vaccination. A total of 711 respondents met the inclusion criteria for the rotavirus vaccine questionnaire. The uptake was estimated at 60.3