THE ROLE OF NURSING IN RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT CHILDHOOD VACCINATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Vaccination is an essential mechanism for the prevention and protection of health, allowing the control and eradication of diseases, contributing to the reduction of infant mortality. Low adherence to the vaccination schedule still represents a challenge for public health, being related to parents' lack of knowledge about the importance of vaccination. Objective: To describe the relevance of nursing in raising awareness of childhood vaccination through health education. Method: This is an integrative literature review, guided by the following question: what are the challenges faced by professionals in promoting vaccination and how can they act in raising awareness among caregivers? Searches were conducted between August and October 2025 in the SCIELO, LILACS and BVS databases, using the descriptors "Vaccination", "Child Health" and "Nursing". Full, free articles in Portuguese, published between 2020 and 2025, were included. Result: Vaccine hesitancy is related to misinformation, fake news, low accessibility and communication failures between professionals and the population. Nursing plays a fundamental role in health education and in guiding caregivers. Conclusion: Strengthening the role of nursing and public immunization policies is essential to expand childhood vaccination coverage and protect public health.