Related Experiment Videos
Parent and general practitioner preferences for infant immunisation. Reactogenicity or multiple injections?
M J Bartlett1, M A Burgess, P B McIntyre
1National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Sydney.
Insights
Parents prioritize less reactogenic vaccines over fewer injections, while GPs often prefer single-injection options. Parental acceptance of vaccination regimens is high when recommended by a general practitioner.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood immunizations involve balancing vaccine efficacy with parental concerns about side effects and the number of injections.
- Different vaccine formulations, such as whole-cell versus acellular pertussis vaccines, vary in reactogenicity and administration schedules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the preferences of parents and general practitioners (GPs) regarding vaccine reactogenicity and the number of injections during childhood immunization visits.
- To assess the relative importance placed on less reactogenic vaccines versus single-injection schedules.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey was conducted with parents (n=162) and GPs (n=154) in western Sydney.
- Participants were presented with hypothetical vaccination regimens involving single vs. multiple injections and whole-cell vs. acellular pertussis vaccines.
Main Results:
- A majority of parents (72% for 2 injections, 58% for 3 injections) preferred acellular pertussis vaccine regimens, indicating a higher concern for reactogenicity.
- GPs showed a preference for the single-injection pentavalent vaccine (69% and 77% for 2 or 3 injection acellular options, respectively).
- Parental preference for single injections increased if their child was already vaccinated, and GP preference for acellular vaccines rose after experiencing adverse reactions.
Conclusions:
- Parental concerns about vaccine reactogenicity are more significant than concerns about multiple injections.
- General practitioners' preferences lean towards simpler, single-injection schedules.
- Parental acceptance of a recommended vaccination regimen is high, underscoring the influence of GP recommendations.
Aim:
To explore the relative importance parents and general practitioners place on less reactogenic vaccines and multiple injections at each childhood immunisation encounter.
Method:
A random sample of western Sydney parents (n = 162) and GPs (n = 154) completed telephone questionnaires about their preference for either a single injection of pentavalent vaccine (whole-cell pertussis/diphtheria/tetanus/Hib/hepatitis B), or regimen containing the less reactogenic acellular pertussis vaccine requiring two separate injections (acellular pertussis/diphtheria/tetanus and Hib or three separate injections (acellular pertussis/diphtheria/tetanus and Hib and hepatitis B). Potential confounders were examined by univariate and multivariate analysis.
Results:
Regimens containing acellular pertussis vaccine (2 injections or 3 injections) were preferred by 72% and 58% of parents respectively. Those whose children were already vaccinated were less concerned about side effects and were twice (or = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0) as likely to select the pentavalent (single injection) option. 69% and 77% of GPs preferred the pentavalent rather than the two or three injection acellular option, although previous experience with a systemic adverse reaction to immunisation increased their preference for the acellular pertussis vaccine (or = 2.9, 95% CI 1.1-7.6). Only 54% of parents and 28% of GPs favoured three injections at one visit.
Conclusion:
Parent and GP concerns regarding reactogenicity and multiple injections differ. Parents are more concerned about vaccine reactogenicity than multiple injections. However, if the GP recommends a particular regimen, it is likely to be accepted by parents.