Parental Attitudes Toward Childhood Vaccination in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Parental attitudes toward childhood vaccination play a critical role in vaccine uptake. Several factors can influence parental attitudes regarding vaccination. This study aimed to assess parental attitudes toward childhood vaccination in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and examine the influence of sociodemographic factors. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among parents residing in Riyadh using an online, self-administered questionnaire distributed via social media platforms. The survey instrument was based on the Vaccine Attitudes Examination scale and consisted of 11 Likert-scale items. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28. Results A total of 469 parents participated. Most respondents were female (n = 286, 61.0%), aged 25-44 years (n = 257, 54.8%), married (n = 402, 85.7%), and held a bachelor's degree (n = 267, 56.9%). Positive perceptions of vaccination were common, as 58.5% (n = 274) agreed or strongly agreed that they felt safe after vaccination, and 65.7% (n = 308) agreed or strongly agreed that vaccines prevent serious infectious diseases. Most participants also valued reliable information sources, with 81.2% (n = 381) agreeing or strongly agreeing that accurate information supports informed decisions. However, concerns persisted regarding unforeseen side effects and beliefs favoring natural immunity over vaccination. Overall, most participants demonstrated neutral attitudes (n = 348, 74.2%), followed by negative attitudes (n = 83, 17.7%) and positive attitudes (n = 38, 8.1%). Gender (p = 0.022) and employment status (p = 0.032) were significantly associated with attitudes. In multivariable analysis, female gender (odds ratio (OR) = 2.113, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.227-3.640, p = 0.007), larger family size (OR = 1.538, 95% CI = 1.043-2.269, p = 0.030), and employment status (OR = 1.299, 95% CI = 1.005-1.680, p = 0.046) significantly predicted negative attitudes. Conclusions Most parents in Riyadh demonstrated neutral attitudes toward childhood vaccination, while nearly one in five showed negative attitudes. Targeted educational strategies addressing safety concerns and misinformation may help strengthen vaccine confidence among parents.