Background

Childhood vaccination is a critical public health measure that significantly reduces morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. Despite high overall coverage, some communities remain unvaccinated, posing risks of outbreaks. A million children annually miss essential vaccines, with coverage varying by country and population.

Objectives

This study aims to identify the barriers and facilitators of childhood national immunization in the Duhok Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan.

Material and methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,039 caregivers in the Duhok Governorate from June 2023 to June 2024. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire, and the collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Descriptive statistics and the Chi-squared test were used, and a p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The majority of respondents were female between 20–30 years of age. Urban residency, higher maternal education, and better economic status were significantly associated with higher vaccination rates. Key facilitators included receiving information from pediatricians and observing positive vaccination experiences among relatives. Barriers included lack of trust in the healthcare system, fear of vaccine side effects, misinformation, and economic constraints.

Conclusions

Addressing identified barriers and enhancing facilitators through targeted interventions can improve vaccination rates and child health outcomes in the Duhok Governorate.