Carter Allison, Klinner Christiane, Young Alexandra, Strnadová Iva, Wong Horas, Vujovich-Dunn Cassandra, Newman Christy E, Davies Cristyn, Skinner S Rachel, Danchin Margie, Hynes Sarah, Guy Rebecca
Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Aug 16;12(8):922. doi: 10.3390/vaccines12080922.
The uptake of human papilloma virus (HPV) and other adolescent vaccinations in special schools for young people with disability is significantly lower than in mainstream settings. This study explored the factors believed to influence parental decision making regarding vaccine uptake for students with intellectual disability and/or on the autism spectrum attending special schools in New South Wales, Australia, from the perspective of all stakeholders involved in the program. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with 40 participants, including parents, school staff, and immunisation providers. The thematic analysis identified two themes: (1) appreciating diverse parental attitudes towards vaccination and (2) educating parents and managing vaccination questions and concerns. While most parents were described as pro-vaccination, others were anti-vaccination or vaccination-hesitant, articulating a marked protectiveness regarding their child's health. Reasons for vaccine hesitancy included beliefs that vaccines cause autism, concerns that the vaccination may be traumatic for the child, vaccination fatigue following COVID-19, and assumptions that children with disability will not be sexually active. Special school staff regarded the vaccination information pack as inadequate for families, and nurses described limited educational impact resulting from minimal direct communication with parents. More effective communication strategies are needed to address vaccine hesitancy among parents with children with disability.
在为残疾青少年开办的特殊学校中,人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)疫苗及其他青少年疫苗的接种率显著低于主流环境。本研究从参与该项目的所有利益相关者的角度,探讨了被认为会影响澳大利亚新南威尔士州特殊学校中智障和/或自闭症谱系学生家长疫苗接种决策的因素。对40名参与者进行了焦点小组讨论和访谈,其中包括家长、学校工作人员和免疫接种提供者。主题分析确定了两个主题:(1)认识到家长对疫苗接种的不同态度,以及(2)对家长进行教育并处理疫苗接种相关问题和担忧。虽然大多数家长被描述为支持疫苗接种,但也有一些家长反对或对接种疫苗持犹豫态度,他们对孩子的健康表现出明显的保护欲。疫苗犹豫的原因包括认为疫苗会导致自闭症、担心接种疫苗对孩子来说可能是一种创伤、新冠疫情后的疫苗接种疲劳,以及认为残疾儿童不会有性活动。特殊学校工作人员认为疫苗接种信息包对家庭来说不够充分,护士们表示与家长的直接沟通极少,导致教育效果有限。需要更有效的沟通策略来解决残疾儿童家长中的疫苗犹豫问题。