Somers Joshua, Hansen Brittany, Burger Julia, Aronoff Stephen, Tuohy Brian
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA.
BMC Pediatr. 2025 Jul 16;25(1):555. doi: 10.1186/s12887-025-05889-x.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common viral infection with the potential for severe illness in infants, leading to thousands of pediatric hospitalizations annually. In late 2023, Beyfortus (nirsevimab), a long-acting monoclonal antibody, became available to provide passive RSV immunization for all newborns meeting eligibility criteria. This study aimed to explore parental decision-making regarding RSV immunization, particularly in comparison to family uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, within an urban, predominantly Medicaid population in North Philadelphia.
This qualitative study was conducted at Temple University Hospital and Temple Pediatric Care outpatient clinic. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 25 parents and primary caregivers of newborns who received RSV immunization during the 2023-2024 season. Participants were recruited from a retrospective list and interviewed by phone using a standardized questionnaire. Grounded Theory methodology was applied for data analysis using iterative coding to identify themes related to immunization perceptions and acceptance.
Participants expressed high levels of trust in healthcare providers and prioritized safety and efficacy when making immunization decisions. Parents accepted RSV immunization due to personal or family experiences with RSV, general desire to protect their newborns, or pediatrician recommendation. In contrast, COVID-19 and influenza vaccine decisions were less consistent. Concerns about side effects and perceived lack of effectiveness were common reasons for declining COVID-19 vaccines, despite similar motivations for protection. Social media and political beliefs had minimal reported influence. Parents reported a lack of consistent, reliable online sources for vaccine information, often relying on general internet searches. Many misunderstood immunization/vaccine efficacy, equating it with complete immunity rather than reduced disease severity.
Parental acceptance of RSV immunization was driven by protective instincts for newborns and familiarity with RSV as a disease. Hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccination stemmed largely from concerns about effectiveness and confusion around immunization/vaccine purpose. Trust in medical professionals influenced decision-making, though participants lacked a consistent source of immunization information. Improved public education on immunization efficacy and centralized access to trustworthy information may enhance immunization uptake and address ongoing hesitancy across all pediatric immunizations.
呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）是一种常见的病毒感染，可能导致婴儿患重病，每年导致数千名儿童住院。2023年末，长效单克隆抗体Beyfortus（尼塞韦单抗）上市，可为所有符合条件的新生儿提供被动RSV免疫接种。本研究旨在探讨在北费城以医疗补助为主的城市人群中，父母关于RSV免疫接种的决策情况，特别是与家庭对新冠病毒疫苗和流感疫苗的接种情况进行比较。
本定性研究在天普大学医院和天普儿科护理门诊进行。对2023 - 2024季节接受RSV免疫接种的25名新生儿父母及主要照料者进行了半结构化访谈。参与者从一份回顾性名单中招募，并通过电话使用标准化问卷进行访谈。采用扎根理论方法进行数据分析，通过迭代编码来识别与免疫接种认知和接受度相关的主题。
参与者对医疗保健提供者表达了高度信任，在做出免疫接种决策时将安全性和有效性列为优先考虑因素。父母接受RSV免疫接种是因为个人或家庭有过RSV感染经历、保护新生儿的普遍愿望或儿科医生的建议。相比之下，新冠病毒疫苗和流感疫苗的决策则不太一致。尽管有类似的保护动机，但对副作用的担忧和认为缺乏有效性是拒绝接种新冠病毒疫苗的常见原因。社交媒体和政治信仰据报告影响极小。父母表示缺乏一致、可靠的疫苗信息在线来源，通常依赖于一般的网络搜索。许多人误解了免疫接种/疫苗的功效，将其等同于完全免疫而非疾病严重程度的降低。
父母对RSV免疫接种的接受是由对新生儿的保护本能以及对RSV这种疾病的熟悉程度驱动的。对新冠病毒疫苗接种的犹豫主要源于对有效性的担忧以及对免疫接种/疫苗目的的困惑。对医疗专业人员的信任影响了决策，尽管参与者缺乏一致的免疫接种信息来源。加强关于免疫接种功效的公众教育以及集中提供可靠信息的渠道，可能会提高免疫接种率，并解决所有儿科免疫接种中持续存在的犹豫问题。
