Page 20 - Preventing pertussis in early infancy - Visser

Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Abstract Context
Several countries reported a resurgence of pertussis in the last few decades. This puts infants (especially < 6 months) at risk of severe complications, because they are too young to be fully protected by vaccination. The global pertussis initiative has proposed pertussis vaccination among the close contacts of young infants, in order to reduce pertussis transmission and the burden of the disease on infants. Our aim is to explore the perceived determinants (barriers and enablers) of the acceptance among the possible target groups of pertussis vaccination for cocooning. Consideration of these determinants is necessary to optimize the uptake of the vaccination.
Methods
We conducted 13 focus group meetings and six individual semi-structured interviews with members of possible target groups for pertussis cocooning (i.e. parents, maternity assistants, midwives, and paediatric nurses) in the Netherlands. Here, neither maternal pertussis vaccination nor pertussis cocooning has been implemented. The topic list was based on a literature review and a barrier framework. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and two researchers performed thematic content analysis.
Findings
The participants’ risk perception, outcome expectations, general vaccination beliefs, moral norms, opinion of others, perceived autonomy, anticipated regret, decisional uncertainty, and perceived organisational barriers were all factors that influenced the intention to accept pertussis vaccination for cocooning.
Discussion
This study has identified nine perceived determinants that influence the intention to accept pertussis cocooning vaccination. We add the following determinants to the literature: perceived cost-effectiveness (as a concept of outcome expectations), justice (as a concept of moral norms), anticipated regret, and decisional uncertainty. We recommend considering these determinants in vaccination programmes for pertussis cocooning vaccination. Experience, information and trust emerged as predominant themes within these determinants. These themes require particular attention in future research on vaccination acceptance, especially with regard to their roles in use and implementation in policy and practice.
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