Common issues and improvement solution of vaccine hesitancy in children with underlying neurological conditions: Experience from one National Children's Medical Center in China

Tianxing Feng; Xiangshi Wang; Jingjing Li; Chuning Wang; Yue Qiu; Ying Zhang; Beihua Zhou; Jiali Wang; Aimei Xia; Xiaodong Sun; Zhuoying Huang; Zhongqiu Wei; Yi Wang; Mei Zeng

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.11.063

Common issues and improvement solution of vaccine hesitancy in children with underlying neurological conditions: Experience from one National Children's Medical Center in China

Vaccine. 2023 Jan 9;41(2):427-434. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.11.063. Epub 2022 Dec 2.

Authors

Tianxing Feng¹, Xiangshi Wang², Jingjing Li³, Chuning Wang⁴, Yue Qiu⁵, Ying Zhang⁶, Beihua Zhou⁷, Jiali Wang⁸, Aimei Xia⁹, Xiaodong Sun¹⁰, Zhuoying Huang¹¹, Zhongqiu Wei¹², Yi Wang¹³, Mei Zeng¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China; Shanghai Rici Children's and Women's Hospital, No 1314, Beijingxi Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: tianxing@fudan.edu.cn.
² National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: shi_16811@163.com.
³ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: lijing588122@163.com.
⁴ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: wcn523@126.com.
⁵ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: qiuyue_hust@163.com.
⁶ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zhangying870108@163.com.
⁷ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zhou_bh2003@163.com.
⁸ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 373621742@qq.com.
⁹ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 46562647@qq.com.
¹⁰ Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No 1380, Zhongshanxi Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: sunxiaodong@scdc.sh.cn.
¹¹ Department of Expended Immunization Program, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No 1380, Zhongshanxi Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: huangzhuoying@scdc.sh.cn.
¹² National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zqwei0563@163.com.
¹³ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: yiwang@shmu.edu.cn.
¹⁴ National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, No 399, Wanyuan Rd., Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zengmeigao@aliyun.com.

PMID: 36470687
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.11.063

Abstract

Background: Parents and healthcare providers usually defer or avoid immunization for children with neurological conditions. This study was conducted to investigate the common issues of immunization among these special children and the impact of specialists' recommendation on improving immunization practice.

Method: We included 2,221 children with underlying neurological conditions seeking vaccination consultation at the first Immunization Advisory Clinic in China during 2017-2019. The primary neurological conditions and immunization status were analyzed. All parents were informed to self-report the adverse events following catch-up immunization. For specially concerned children with hereditary disorders, immune-related encephalopathy and epilepsy, we conducted the active follow-up to monitor the compliance with recommendation and the adverse events.

Result: All counselling children were assessed as not having any contraindication of immunization. A total of 2,019 (90.9%) children with underlying neurological conditions had delayed immunization and 99 (4.5%) had non-immunization. The coverage rate of age-appropriate vaccines was 56.1%. The most concerned vaccines were diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis combined vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus combined vaccine, meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine and Japanese encephalitis vaccine. Resuming immunization was recommended for the 2,048 (92.2%) children. Most of counselling children complied with the specialists' recommendation. Neither progress nor flaring of the neurological medical conditions was reported from parents.

Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy was a common issue for Chinese children with all kinds of neurological conditions. Specialized consultation on immunization is helpful to build vaccine confidence for the special children. Immunization for children with underlying neurological conditions is generally safe.

Keywords: Children; Immunization; Neurological diseases; Vaccine hesitancy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
China
Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine
Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines*
Humans
Immunization
Tetanus* / prevention & control
Vaccination / adverse effects
Vaccination Hesitancy*

Substances

Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines
Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine