OBJECTIVES : To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of parents towards Rotavirus, Pneumococcal, Influenza and Hepatitis A vaccines and to assess the factors contributing for non-vaccination.

METHODS : A cross- sectional observational study was conducted on parents of children between three to five years of age visiting the paediatric department of JSS Hospital, Mysuru. A validated questionnaire was used to collect the required information.

RESULTS : Out of 207 study participants, children of 97.58% parents were fully immunized according to the EPI schedule. The higher rate of vaccination was observed with Hepatitis A (37.19%) followed by rotavirus vaccine (26.57%) among the vaccines under study. The knowledge level in the parents who have not vaccinated their children with non-EPI vaccines was found to be inadequate when compared with parents in the vaccinated group. Lack of knowledge about non EPI vaccines among parents was the major constraint for not vaccinating their children. There was a significant association between role of education of residence, number of kids, educational status of the parents, socio-economic class and the knowledge on non-EPI vaccines.

CONCLUSIONS : Most of the sampled parents were unaware of the non-EPI vaccines. As the parental knowledge, attitude and practice about non-EPI vaccines are important determining factors for the immunization status of their child, future efforts by providing education on non-EPI vaccines are required to improve the parents confidence on non-EPI vaccines and to decrease the non- EPI vaccine hesitancy.