["I'm not an anti-vaxxer, but…": understanding vaccine hesitancy based on narratives of hesitant parents]

Vaccine hesitancy constitutes a phenomenon related to fear, delay, and partial or total refusal of vaccines recommended by immunization programs. This phenomenon has caused concern as it threatens important achievements regarding the reduction of the morbidity and mortality of vaccine-preventable diseases. This study aimed to understand the decision process of parents who were hesitant about vaccines. This study aimed to evaluate the meanings these parents attribute to vaccination and what experiences can be elicited by decisions about vaccination. A qualitative research was carried out by in-depth individual interviews from September 2020 to July 2021. Snowball sampling was employed, using the principle of theoretical saturation to define sample size. Parents who met the definition of vaccine hesitancy - who delayed application or refused one or more vaccines - were included in this study. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and turned into texts. Interpretative phenomenology was used to analyze the interviews with the 10 participants. Moreover, four themes emerged from their narratives: natural lifestyle; social pressure regarding vaccination (healthcare providers, family members, friends, etc.); the pandemic and vaccination against COVID-19; and distrust in vaccines, the pharmaceutical industry, and healthcare providers and institutions. Vaccine hesitancy constitutes a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. Healthcare providers must be trained to dialogue with hesitant parents regarding vaccination. This volatile phenomenon and diverse epidemiological contexts, such as the pandemic, can influence the reflection of hesitant parents about routine vaccination.