School of Public and Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Front Public Health. 2023 Aug 10;11:1196019. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1196019. eCollection 2023.
Influenza vaccination uptake among young children has been poor in China, but it is unclear how it changed during the COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the uptake status and reasons of childhood influenza vaccination during the pandemic in China.
A mixed-methods study combining a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews was conducted in Anhui, Shaanxi, and Guangdong provinces between September and November 2021. 2081 caregivers completed the valid questionnaire. 38 caregivers participated in interviews, and data were analyzed thematically, using deductive and inductive coding.
A total of 2081 caregivers completed the valid questionnaire, and 38 caregivers participated in interviews. Among the caregivers, a total of 1796 were in the age group for high-risk groups in the 2019-2020 flu season, and 46.10% reported that their children received influenza vaccination in the 2019-2020 flu season; 43.63% said that they vaccinated their children against influenza in the 2020-2021 flu season. Many caregivers indicated that the adoption of nonpharmacologic interventions (NPIs) during COVID-19 reduced the risk of influenza infection for children. Most caregivers consider the severity of influenza to be low, and some confused the common cold with influenza. Meanwhile, some caregivers lack confidence in the vaccine's effectiveness and importance. They thought that vaccines are not effective in preventing the constantly mutating virus. Despite clear perceptions about the severity of influenza and the effectiveness of the vaccine, we found that most caregivers did not receive any relevant medical information, and the communication about vaccines between caregivers and professional information sources, such as healthcare workers, is inadequate. Hence, caregivers have no scientific evidence to back up their perceptions. In terms of access to vaccination service, caregivers reported conflicts between time of vaccination service and their schedule, and the need for vaccine prices to be reduced.
Targeted interventions are needed to address caregivers' lack of risk perception on influenza during COVID-19 and promote communication between caregivers and professional information sources. Extending vaccination service hours and increasing the number of vaccine clinics close to residential areas and expansion of financing sources for self-paid vaccination could facilitate the access to influenza vaccination service.
在中国，儿童接种流感疫苗的比例一直很低，但尚不清楚在 COVID-19 期间这一情况如何变化。本研究旨在调查中国大流行期间儿童流感疫苗接种的现状和原因。
本项混合方法研究于 2021 年 9 月至 11 月在安徽、陕西和广东三省进行，采用问卷调查和半结构式访谈相结合的方式。2081 名照顾者完成了有效问卷。38 名照顾者参加了访谈，数据采用演绎和归纳编码进行主题分析。
共有 2081 名照顾者完成了有效问卷，38 名照顾者参加了访谈。在这些照顾者中，共有 1796 名照顾者的子女属于 2019-2020 年流感高发年龄段，其中 46.10%表示其子女在 2019-2020 年流感季节接种了流感疫苗；43.63%表示其子女在 2020-2021 年流感季节接种了流感疫苗。许多照顾者表示，COVID-19 期间采取的非药物干预措施（NPIs）降低了儿童感染流感的风险。大多数照顾者认为流感的严重程度较低，有些则将普通感冒与流感混淆。同时，一些照顾者对疫苗的有效性和重要性缺乏信心。他们认为疫苗在预防不断变异的病毒方面效果不佳。尽管照顾者对流感的严重程度和疫苗的有效性有明确的认识，但我们发现，大多数照顾者没有收到任何相关的医疗信息，照顾者与专业信息来源（如医护人员）之间关于疫苗的沟通不足。因此，照顾者没有科学证据支持他们的认知。在接种服务的可及性方面，照顾者报告说接种服务时间与他们的日程安排存在冲突，并且需要降低疫苗价格。
需要采取有针对性的干预措施来解决 COVID-19 期间照顾者对流感风险认知不足的问题，并促进照顾者与专业信息来源之间的沟通。延长接种服务时间，增加靠近居民区的疫苗接种点数量，并扩大自费接种的资金来源，可以促进流感疫苗接种服务的可及性。
