A qualitative study on COVID-19 pandemic impacts on parental attitudes and intentions for routine adolescent vaccinations: The role of trust

Katarzyna T Bolsewicz; Maryke S Steffens; Catherine King; Ikram Abdi; Bianca Bullivant; Frank Beard

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.037

A qualitative study on COVID-19 pandemic impacts on parental attitudes and intentions for routine adolescent vaccinations: The role of trust

Vaccine. 2023 Jun 23;41(28):4138-4143. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.037. Epub 2023 May 22.

Authors

Katarzyna T Bolsewicz¹, Maryke S Steffens², Catherine King³, Ikram Abdi², Bianca Bullivant², Frank Beard²

Affiliations

¹ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: Katarzyna.Bolsewicz@health.nsw.gov.au.
² National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
³ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to declines in routine childhood and adolescent vaccination coverage globally. While the declines in Australia have been less, they are a concern, given steady increases in coverage prior to the pandemic. Given limited evidence on how the experiences of parents during the pandemic affected their attitudes about and intentions towards adolescent vaccinations, with this study we aimed to explore these.

Methods: This was a qualitative study. We invited parents of adolescents eligible for school-based vaccinations in 2021 from metropolitan, regional and rural areas of New South Wales and Victoria (the most affected States) and South Australia (less affected) to half hour-long online semi-structured interviews. We analysed data thematically and applied a conceptual model of trust in vaccination.

Results: In July 2022 we interviewed 15 accepting, 4 hesitant and two parents who refused adolescent vaccinations. We identified three themes: 1. Pandemic impacting on professional and personal lives and routine immunisations; 2. Pandemic strengthening preexisting vaccine hesitancy, with perceived lack of clarity in governmental information about vaccination and stigma around non-vaccinating as contributing factors; 3. Pandemic raising awareness of the benefits of COVID-19 and routine vaccinations, with communication campaigns and one's trusted doctor's vaccination recommendations as contributing factors.

Conclusions: For some parents, experiences of poor system readiness and growing distrust towards health and vaccination systems strengthened their pre-existing vaccine hesitancy. We offer recommendations on how trust in the health system and immunisation can be optimised post-pandemic to increase uptake of routine vaccines. These include improving access to vaccination services and clear, timely information about vaccines; supporting immunisation providers in their immunisation consultations; working alongside communities, and building capacity of vaccine champions.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adolescent
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Child
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Intention
Pandemics / prevention & control
Parents
Trust
Vaccination
Vaccines*
Victoria

Substances

Vaccines