Understanding non-vaccinating parents' views to inform and improve clinical encounters: A qualitative study in an Australian community

Helps, C; Leask, J; Barclay, L; Carter, S

Understanding non-vaccinating parents' views to inform and improve clinical encounters: A qualitative study in an Australian community

Helps, C Leask, J Barclay, L

Carter, S

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMJ Open, 2019, 9 (5)
Issue Date:: 2019-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Helps, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Leask, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Barclay, L https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9345-3468	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Carter, S https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2617-8694	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-05-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	BMJ Open, 2019, 9 (5)	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135783
dc.description.abstract	© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. Objectives To explain vaccination refusal in a sample of Australian parents. Design Qualitative design, purposive sampling in a defined population. Setting A geographically bounded community of approximately 30 000 people in regional Australia with high prevalence of vaccination refusal. Participants Semi structured interviews with 32 non-vaccinating parents: 9 fathers, 22 mothers and 1 pregnant woman. Purposive sampling of parents who had decided to discontinue or decline all vaccinations for their children. Recruitment via local advertising then snowballing. Results Thematic analysis focused on explaining decision-making pathways of parents who refuse vaccination. Common patterns in parents' accounts included: perceived deterioration in health in Western societies; a personal experience introducing doubt about vaccine safety; concerns regarding consent; varied encounters with health professionals (dismissive, hindering and helpful); a quest for the real truth'; reactance to system inflexibilities and ongoing risk assessment. Conclusions We suggest responses tailored to the perspectives of non-vaccinating parents to assist professionals in understanding and maintaining empathic clinical relationships with this important patient group.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	BMJ Open	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026299	en_US
dc.title	Understanding non-vaccinating parents' views to inform and improve clinical encounters: A qualitative study in an Australian community	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	5	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	9	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	5	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	9	en_US

Abstract:

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. Objectives To explain vaccination refusal in a sample of Australian parents. Design Qualitative design, purposive sampling in a defined population. Setting A geographically bounded community of approximately 30 000 people in regional Australia with high prevalence of vaccination refusal. Participants Semi structured interviews with 32 non-vaccinating parents: 9 fathers, 22 mothers and 1 pregnant woman. Purposive sampling of parents who had decided to discontinue or decline all vaccinations for their children. Recruitment via local advertising then snowballing. Results Thematic analysis focused on explaining decision-making pathways of parents who refuse vaccination. Common patterns in parents' accounts included: perceived deterioration in health in Western societies; a personal experience introducing doubt about vaccine safety; concerns regarding consent; varied encounters with health professionals (dismissive, hindering and helpful); a quest for the real truth'; reactance to system inflexibilities and ongoing risk assessment. Conclusions We suggest responses tailored to the perspectives of non-vaccinating parents to assist professionals in understanding and maintaining empathic clinical relationships with this important patient group.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135783