Understanding parental hesitancy about childhood flu vaccination: a qualitative study applying the Necessity Concerns Framework

Résumé fourni par la source

Introduction: The UK influenza vaccination programme is available to all children aged 2-3 years and school-aged children to limit their experience of complications from flu and reduce onward transmission to other vulnerable groups. Uptake for childhood flu vaccination remains suboptimal at around 50%. Aim: To explore reasons why parents have previously rejected the flu vaccine for their child. Methods: 24 parents took part in one-hour semi-structured online interviews. Transcripts were coded using NVivo and data was thematically analysed applying the Necessity Concerns Framework. Parents were recruited through an online market research panel. Results: Parental decisions were driven by a low perceived need for the childhood flu vaccine, relative to their concerns about potential negative consequences. Low necessity beliefs were strongly influenced by the perception that flu was not a serious illness, and that natural immunity would be best and needs to be ‘built’. Parents reported concerns about the immediate negative effects of the vaccine and the permanent damage it could do to their child’s immune system in the long term. The offer of the vaccine was perceived as an invitation to prioritise the health of the wider community, over and above that of their own child. Conclusion: Efforts to improve childhood flu vaccine uptake need to consider the beliefs parents have about the vaccine.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.