Grant: Operating Grant: Improved Immunization Coverage Initiative

Vaccination is estimated to have saved more lives over the past 100 years than any other health intervention. Yet, recent surveys indicate that one third of Canadian parents are skeptical about vaccine safety, unconvinced by the science of herd immunity, and hesitant about vaccinating their children. Prenatal vaccination evokes even more hesitancy, with concerns regarding safety and effectiveness of maternal vaccination in pregnancy leading to very low uptake of currently-recommended prenatal vaccinations in Canada (e.g., influenza vaccine uptake is <20%). Prenatal vaccine refusal is associated with subsequent refusal of childhood vaccination. Healthcare providers (HCPs) are known to play a crucial role in fostering vaccine acceptance among parents. Previous research indicates that pregnant women want more and clearer vaccine advice from the doctors, nurses, and midwives providing care from pregnancy through the immediate postpartum period, when many mothers struggle with prenatal vaccination questions and begin making their infant vaccination decisions. When HCPs communicate effectively about the value and need for vaccinations parents are more confident in their decisions. However, research indicates that HCPs need more training and information support in order to feel confident in recommending and administering vaccines. This proposed qualitative study will provide an in-depth understanding of the vaccine hesitancy of maternity HCPs (obstetrician/gynecologists (OBGYNs), family doctors, midwives, and nurses), including how attitudes and beliefs play out in clinical practice and explore their perceptions of information interventions aimed at increasing their acceptance and promotion of vaccines for pregnant women and infants.