Social inequities in vaccination coverage among infants and pre-school children in Europe and Australia - a systematic review

Specialist nurse's health promotion work with the national childhood immunization programme: A qualitative study

PURPOSE

Childhood immunizations have proven to be one of the most beneficial interventions to promote public health and prevent childhood deaths due to disease. However, global coverage of childhood immunization has decreased throughout the world due to guardians' growing hesitancy towards immunizations. This study aims to describe how specialist nurses promote legal guardians to adhere to national childhood immunization programmes.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study had a qualitative design. Semistructured interviews with 11 specialist nurses, who were paediatric primary care nurses or nurse practitioners, were conducted. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The findings, with four main categories including four subcategories, showed nurses using both local guidelines and national guidelines to promote guardians to adhere to the childhood immunization programme. The main intervention the nurses did to promote childhood immunization coverage was giving legal guardians general information about the programme. With hesitant guardians, adopting a person-centred approach towards the legal guardian improved adherence.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Further research should focus on how specialist nurses can respond to guardians who decline immunization for their children, as this study identified difficulties in this area. Furthermore, research on guardians' perspectives towards childhood immunization may also help generate further effective guidance on how to promote immunization coverage among children.

An ecological analysis of socio-economic determinants associated with paediatric vaccination coverage in the Campania Region: A population-based study, years 2003-2017

Introduction

Vaccines are the most cost-effective and straightforward intervention against severe infectious diseases. However, in Europe and in Italy, paediatric vaccination coverage for certain vaccines remains suboptimal, with considerable regional differences in Italy. Vaccine coverage varies significantly due to socio-economic and organisational factors. Aim of this study was to assess the influence of the Deprivation Index, the density of General Practitioners and General Paediatricians per inhabitants on the coverage of both mandatory and non-mandatory paediatric vaccinations across local health authorities and health districts in the Campania Region for birth cohorts from 2001 to 2015.

Materials and methods

Population-based, ecological time series analysis focusing on the Campania Region, most populous region in the south of Italy. Vaccination coverage data were extracted from the regional immunization database, whilst information on the Deprivation Index and number of primary care doctors and primary care paediatricians per local health district were extracted from public health records. Univariate descriptive statistics were employed to describe study characteristics, as appropriate, whilst and mixed-effect linear regression models were employed to assess the associations between variables of interest and vaccination coverage.

Results

Overall vaccination coverage has generally increased, except for the MMR vaccine, which showed coverage fluctuations. An increase in the Deprivation Index, indicative of less favourable socio-economic conditions, was associated with decreased vaccination coverage in the 24-month age group for some mandatory vaccines (DTaP: Coef -0.97, 95% CI -1.77 | -0.17; Poliomyelitis: Coef -0.98, 95% CI -1.78 | -0.17; Hepatitis B: Coef -0.90, 95% CI -1.71 | -0.10). Moreover, areas with a greater density of General Paediatricians per inhabitants saw increased coverage for Haemophilus influenzae type b in the 6-year age group (Coef 9.78, 95% CI 1.00 | 18.56).

Conclusions

It is necessary to target public health policies to address vaccination inequalities. These efforts should include expanding vaccination campaigns, enhancing catch-up programs, and increase resource allocation in primary care settings to facilitate the role of General Practitioners and Paediatricians in fostering awareness and adherence.

Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination coverage: an ecological study of primary health care and socio-economic factors in Catalonia, Spain

This study examined the association of socio-economic factors and the structure of primary care centres (PCCs) with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage among the 8-year-old population in Catalonia, Spain. We conducted an ecological study to retrospectively assess the MMR vaccination-recorded status of children born in 2012, using public health data extracted in December 2020. For each of 300 PCCs serving 70,498 children, we calculated vaccination coverage rates from electronic health records and linked these rates to a composite deprivation index corresponding to the territory served by each PCC. We identified a relationship between unfavourable socio-economic factors and higher recorded vaccination coverage. On average, directly managed PCCs had higher vaccination coverage rates than indirectly managed PCCs. Greater utilisation of primary care services by the population was also associated with higher vaccination coverage rates. Further research is needed to generate knowledge valuable for informing more equitable child-vaccination service delivery models.

Systematic review of socioeconomic factors and COVID-19 in children and adolescents

AIM

To systematically review the evidence on Covid-19 infection risk, severity and vaccination uptake among children and adolescents by socioeconomic status.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review, using the PubMed database. We searched for articles published from January 2020 to January 2022 using "MeSH" words and titles. The key terms were "COVID", "social status", "socioeconomic factor" and "children". We also searched secondary sources such as published reports and other databases.

RESULTS

The search identified 15 relevant articles and reports. This review shows that children of lower socioeconomic status have a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and a higher risk of being hospitalised. Mortality in a global setting was also higher in children with low socioeconomic status, though not observed in high-resourced countries. These children are also less likely to be vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation and lower vaccination coverage in children and adolescents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds demonstrate health disparities also in young age. These disparities should inform health authorities in planning for future pandemics.

Socioeconomic inequalities in vaccine uptake: A global umbrella review

This global umbrella review aimed to synthesise evidence of socioeconomic inequalities in the uptake of routine vaccinations and identify the mechanisms that may contribute to the association. To our knowledge, no attempt has been made to synthesise the global body of systematic reviews across a variety of vaccines, geographical locations, and measures of SES. The inclusion criteria were as follows: studies assessing vaccination uptake according to education, income, occupation/employment, and/or area-level deprivation; any country or universally recommended routine vaccination (according to the WHO); qualitative or quantitative reviews, published 2011-present. The searches were performed in eight databases. The screening process followed PRISMA-E guidelines, each stage was performed by one reviewer, and a 10% sample checked by a second for consistency. Included reviews underwent data extraction, quality appraisal (AMSTAR-2), and narrative synthesis according to country-context. After deduplication, 9,163 reports underwent title and abstract screening, leaving 119 full texts to be assessed for eligibility. Overall, 26 studies were included in the umbrella review. Evidence for lower uptake amongst disadvantaged SES individuals was found in all 26 reviews. However, 17 reviews showed mixed results, as inverse associations were also identified (lower uptake for advantaged SES, and/or higher uptake for disadvantaged SES). Those that explored high-income countries had a greater prevalence of mixed findings than those focusing on low/middle-income countries. The two most frequently cited mechanisms were vaccination knowledge, and confidence in vaccination or vaccination providers. These mechanisms were often understood by review authors as varying by level of education. We find socioeconomic differences in routine vaccination uptake, but the association did not always follow a gradient. Whilst education may be associated with uptake globally, our study indicates that its role varies by country-context. A limitation is the overlap of some primary studies across the included systematic reviews.

Parental views and the key role of nurses for high vaccine acceptance in Sweden - a focus group study

BACKGROUND

In Sweden, vaccine uptake is exceptionally high due to an efficient child immunization program. More than 97% of Swedish children were vaccinated at child health care centers (CHCs) according to the schedule at 2 years of age in 2021. From the age of 6 years, vaccinations are given within the school health care. Maintaining high vaccination coverage over time is one of the central motives to explore and understand drivers for vaccine acceptance. The current study aimed to assess parental vaccine acceptance concerning the national immunization program and explore factors contributing to the high vaccine acceptance in Sweden.

METHODS

Parents of children aged 1-2 years and 8-12 years were recruited through purposive sampling and asked to participate in focus groups held in three cities in Sweden, in February and March 2019. In total, 47 parents participated in two focus groups per city, one session for parents of younger (1-2 years) and older (8-12 years) children respectively. The focus group discussions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Parents of children aged 1-2 years expressed the themes; strong compliance to and protection of the value of vaccinations; parents feel safe with an attentive relationship with their nurse; the spectrum of communication needs is essential to meet. For parents to children aged 8-12 years, the themes expressed were; vaccinate to do good for the individual and society; a foundation of trust is built at CHCs for decisions later on; decisions for vaccination become more complex as children get older; communication changes as children get older and need to be explicit and tailored to the situation.

CONCLUSION

Both individual and societal perspectives were shown to influence the vaccination decision for childhood immunizations, as manifested in parental reflections and experiences. As nurses have a key role, it is important to provide them with continued support and tools to facilitate their support for parents in making informed decisions. Continuous work for supporting driving factors for vaccination over time is needed to maintain high vaccine acceptance in Sweden.

Preschool-located influenza vaccination and influenza-like illness surveillance: an Italian pilot experience

BACKGROUND

We describe the first school-located influenza vaccination campaign with quadrivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) among pre-school children in Italy, coupled with an innovative school-centred influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) surveillance using a self-sampling non-invasive saliva collection method.

METHODS

The pilot study was proposed during the 2021/2022 influenza season to fifteen pre-schools in the Milan municipality. LAIV was offered directly in school to all healthy children without contraindications. ILI differential diagnosis was conducted by real-time RT-PCR for influenza A/B and SARS-CoV-2.

RESULTS

Five pre-schools were involved in the pilot project and overall, 135 families (31.2%) participated in the study, adhering to both surveillance and vaccination; 59% of families had an immigrant background. No pupil experienced adverse reactions after vaccination. Nineteen saliva samples were collected from sixteen children (11.8%). Six samples (31.6%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; none was positive for influenza A/B.

CONCLUSIONS

The participation in the immunisation campaign was good, considering possible absences due to COVID-19 pandemic, and the intranasal administration was well tolerated and helped to overcome parental hesitancy. Saliva sampling represented a useful tool to reduce children's stress and increase parents' compliance. The high participation of families with an immigrant background suggests that school-based interventions can represent an effective strategy to overcome socioeconomic and cultural barriers.

Health inequalities in infectious diseases: a systematic overview of reviews

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this systematic overview of reviews was to synthesise available evidence on inequalities in infectious disease based on three dimensions of inequalities; inclusion health groups, protected characteristics and socioeconomic inequalities.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and OpenGrey databases in November 2021. We included reviews published from the year 2000 which examined inequalities in the incidence, prevalence or consequences of infectious diseases based on the dimensions of interest. Our search focused on tuberculosis, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis C, vaccination and antimicrobial resistance. However, we also included eligible reviews of any other infectious diseases. We appraised the quality of reviews using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews V.2 (AMSTAR2) checklist. We conducted a narrative data synthesis.

RESULTS

We included 108 reviews in our synthesis covering all the dimensions of inequalities for most of the infectious disease topics of interest, however the quality and volume of review evidence and consistency of their findings varied. The existing literature reviews provide strong evidence that people in inclusion health groups and lower socioeconomic status are consistently at higher risk of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and incomplete/delayed vaccination. In the protected characteristics dimension, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are important factors contributing to inequalities across the various infectious disease topics included in this overview of reviews.

CONCLUSION

We identified many reviews that provide evidence of various types of health inequalities in different infectious diseases, vaccination, and antimicrobial resistance. We also highlight areas where reviews may be lacking. The commonalities in the associations and their directions suggest it might be worth targeting interventions for some high risk-groups that may have benefits across multiple infectious disease outcomes rather than operating purely in infectious disease siloes.

Exposure-response relationship between temperature, relative humidity, and varicella: a multicity study in South China

Varicella is a rising public health issue. Several studies have tried to quantify the relationships between meteorological factors and varicella incidence but with inconsistent results. We aim to investigate the impact of temperature and relative humidity on varicella, and to further explore the effect modification of these relationships. In this study, the data of varicella and meteorological factors from 2011 to 2019 in 21 cities of Guangdong Province, China were collected. Distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) were constructed to explore the relationship between meteorological factors (temperature and relative humidity) and varicella in each city, controlling in school terms, holidays, seasonality, long-term trends, and day of week. Multivariate meta-analysis was applied to pool the city-specific estimations. And the meta-regression was used to explore the effect modification for the spatial heterogeneity of city-specific meteorological factors and social factors (such as disposable income per capita, vaccination coverage, and so on) on varicella. The results indicated that the relationship between temperature and varicella in 21 cities appeared nonlinear with an inverted S-shaped. The relative risk peaked at 20.8 ℃ (RR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.65). The relative humidity-varicella relationship was approximately L-shaped, with a peaking risk at 69.5% relative humidity (RR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.50). The spatial heterogeneity of temperature-varicella relationships may be caused by income or varicella vaccination coverage. And varicella vaccination coverage may contribute to the spatial heterogeneity of the relative humidity-varicella relationship. The findings can help us deepen the understanding of the meteorological factors-varicella association and provide evidence for developing prevention strategy for varicella epidemic.

Factors affecting children's HPV vaccination in Austria: Evidence from a parent survey

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that causes cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, other urogenital cancers, and genital warts. In Austria, where HPV vaccination is free for children, the vaccination rate nevertheless remains insufficient for herd immunity against HPV. Using a cross-sectional survey of parents (N = 334) in the state of Tyrol, Austria, we examined parents' reasons for rejecting children's HPV vaccination and key predictors of vaccination intention for their children, including knowledge about HPV, attitude toward vaccination, sources of information about the HPV vaccine, socioeconomic factors, and HPV vaccination intention. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression modeling revealed an overall 81.9% acceptance rate of HPV vaccination. The most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy were a fear of side effects, a perceived lack of information, and the perception that children are too young to be vaccinated. A high level of knowledge about HPV was significantly associated with vaccine acceptance for female but not male children. Negative attitude toward vaccination was significantly related to lower vaccine acceptance, and parents who reported informing themselves about HPV vaccination from online sources were less likely to accept vaccination. Such results call for more educational measures to reduce misinformation about HPV vaccination and thereby reduce the fear of its side effects and promote early vaccination. More information is also needed to improve parents' attitude toward and their knowledge about vaccination, the dissemination of which should focus on the benefits of vaccines for children of both sexes.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in COVID-19 Vaccination and Infection in Adults, Catalonia, Spain

Evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout on socioeconomic COVID-19-related inequalities is scarce. We analyzed associations between socioeconomic deprivation index (SDI) and COVID-19 vaccination, infection, and hospitalization before and after vaccine rollout in Catalonia, Spain. We conducted a population-based cohort study during September 2020-June 2021 that comprised 2,297,146 adults >40 years of age. We estimated odds ratio of nonvaccination and hazard ratios (HRs) of infection and hospitalization by SDI quintile relative to the least deprived quintile, Q1. Six months after rollout, vaccination coverage differed by SDI quintile in working-age (40-64 years) persons: 81% for Q1, 71% for Q5. Before rollout, we found a pattern of increased HR of infection and hospitalization with deprivation among working-age and retirement-age (>65 years) persons. After rollout, infection inequalities decreased in both age groups, whereas hospitalization inequalities decreased among retirement-age persons. Our findings suggest that mass vaccination reduced socioeconomic COVID-19-related inequalities.

Socioeconomic Inequalities and Vaccine Uptake: An Umbrella Review Protocol

The effectiveness of immunization is widely accepted: it can successfully improve health outcomes by reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with vaccine-preventable diseases. In the era of pandemics, there is a pressing need to identify and understand the factors associated with vaccine uptake amongst different socioeconomic groups. The knowledge generated from research in this area can be used to inform effective interventions aimed at increasing uptake. This umbrella systematic review aims to determine whether there is an association between socioeconomic inequalities and rate of vaccine uptake globally. Specifically, the study aims to determine whether an individual's socioeconomic status, level of education, occupation, (un)-employment, or place of residence affects the uptake rate of routine vaccines. The following databases will be searched from 2011 to the present day: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane CENTRAL, Science Citation Index (Web of Science), DARE, SCOPUS (Elsevier), and ASSIA (ProQuest). Systematic reviews will be either included or excluded based on a priori established eligibility criteria. The relevant data will then be extracted, quality appraised, and narratively synthesised. The synthesis will be guided by the theoretical framework developed for this review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Equity extension (PRISMA-E) guidance will be followed. This protocol has been registered on PROSPERO, ID: CRD42022334223.

Vaccine equity in low and middle income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence to date has shown that inequality in health, and vaccination coverage in particular, can have ramifications to wider society. However, whilst individual studies have sought to characterise these heterogeneities in immunisation coverage at national level, few have taken a broad and quantitative view of the contributing factors to heterogeneity in immunisation coverage and impact, i.e. the number of cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years averted. This systematic review aims to highlight these geographic, demographic, and sociodemographic characteristics through a qualitative and quantitative approach, vital to prioritise and optimise vaccination policies.

METHODS

A systematic review of two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) was undertaken using search terms and keywords to identify studies examining factors on immunisation inequality and heterogeneity in vaccination coverage. Inclusion criteria were applied independently by two researchers. Studies including data on key characteristics of interest were further analysed through a meta-analysis to produce a pooled estimate of the risk ratio using a random effects model for that characteristic.

RESULTS

One hundred and eight studies were included in this review. We found that inequalities in wealth, education, and geographic access can affect vaccine impact and vaccination dropout. We estimated those living in rural areas were not significantly different in terms of full vaccination status compared to urban areas but noted considerable heterogeneity between countries. We found that females were 3% (95%CI[1%, 5%]) less likely to be fully vaccinated than males. Additionally, we estimated that children whose mothers had no formal education were 28% (95%CI[18%,47%]) less likely to be fully vaccinated than those whose mother had primary level, or above, education. Finally, we found that individuals in the poorest wealth quintile were 27% (95%CI [16%,37%]) less likely to be fully vaccinated than those in the richest.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a nuanced picture of inequality in vaccination coverage and access with wealth disparity dominating, and likely driving, other disparities. This review highlights the complex landscape of inequity and further need to design vaccination strategies targeting missed subgroups to improve and recover vaccination coverage following the COVID-19 pandemic.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospero, CRD42021261927.

How Were Healthcare Workers after Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination? A Study of the Emotional Side Effects of Vaccination

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines appear to be the only escape from the COVID-19 pandemic. As healthcare workers were among the first in society to be vaccinated, understanding their emotional status post-vaccination is fundamental to the promotion of COVID-19 vaccines among the rest of society. The aims of this study were to investigate the predictors of positive and negative emotions experienced by healthcare workers after being vaccinated and to understand whether those emotions were related to the modalities of vaccine promotion within the community. A cohort of 5790 Italian healthcare workers completed an original online survey regarding their experience with anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and reported on a series of personal and environmental factors. The data obtained show that increased risk perception of COVID-19, vaccine confidence and receipt of greater quantities of information regarding vaccines are predictors of a more positive emotional state post-vaccination. Predictors of a more negative emotional state are older age, lower education, lower confidence and receipt of smaller quantities of information, in addition to neurotic personality traits and high risk perception of COVID-19. Importantly, vaccination promotion may be favoured by a happy emotional status after vaccination. This study can serve as a source of guidelines for the promotion of COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers and laypeople.

Parents' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Childhood Vaccination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

BACKGROUND

Vaccination is known to have an enormous impact on improving child health. In Indonesia, the government has included several vaccines in the national immunization program.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate parents' knowledge, attitude, and practice on childhood immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

METHODS

A valid and reliable questionnaire was delivered to approximately 276 parents in Jakarta and Bandung, representing the epicenter of the pandemic. This study was conducted from June 2020 to February 2021. The correlations between parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practice with the characteristics of the respondents were investigated. In addition, multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the variables associated with good vaccination practice.

RESULTS

The results showed that the mean scores of parents' knowledge, attitude, and practice on childhood vaccinations were 7.22 (± 1.30) out of 9 points, 3.93 (± 0.31) out of 4 points, and 3.59 (± 0.97) out of 5 points, respectively. Respondents graduated from university were more knowledgeable than those graduated from senior high school (p-value <0.05). Employed participants had better scores in knowledge and practice, compared to unemployed participants (p-value <0.05).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study found positive correlations between participants' knowledge and attitude, knowledge and practice, and attitude and practice on childhood vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

Women's Intention to Consent to Universal Screening for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) at Well Baby Clinics

The Israeli Ministry of Health requires medical and nursing staff in both hospitals and community settings, screen all women for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This study explored factors associated with the intention of Israeli women to consent to universal IPV screening during their visits to well baby clinics, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Two hundred Jewish women of childbearing age completed a questionnaire based on the TPB. Only 52% of the women reported that they had undergone IPV screening conducted by nurses at well baby clinics in the last year. The TPB was found to predict 44% of the variance in women's intention to consent to universal IPV screening, whereas control beliefs, perceived behavioral control, and normative beliefs with regard to universal screening, were found to be the most significant predictors. These findings may help design interventions aimed at raising women's intentions to consent to universal IPV screening.

Childhood immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence by health information source, maternal, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics in Albania

Background

Albania is facing decreasing childhood immunisation coverage and delay in timeliness of vaccination despite a growing economy and universal health insurance. Our aim is to estimate childhood immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence associated with health information source, maternal, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics in Albania.

Methods

We used the 2017–2018 Albania Demographic and Health Survey to analyse childhood immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence among 2113 and 1795 mothers of under-5-year-old children respectively using simple and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Among mothers of under-5-year-old children in Albania, 78.1% [95% CI: 74.3, 81.5] never postponed or rejected childhood vaccines. Immunisation delay was reported by 21.3% [18.0, 25.1] of mothers, but a majority (67.0%) were caused by the infant’s sickness at the time of vaccination, while a minority (6.1%) due to mothers’ concerns about vaccine safety and side effects. Vaccine confidence was high among the mothers at 92.9% [91.0, 94.4] with similar geographical patterns to immunisation timeliness. Among 1.3% of mothers who ever refused vaccination of their children, the main concerns were about vaccine safety (47.8%) and side effects (23.1%). With respect to childhood immunisation timeliness, after controlling for other background characteristics, mothers whose main health information source was the Internet/social media had 34% (adjusted odds-ratio AOR = 0.66 [0.47, 0.94], p = 0.020) lower odds in comparison to other sources, working mothers had 35% (AOR = 0.65 [0.47, 0.91], p = 0.013) lower odds in comparison to non-working mothers, mothers with no education had 86% (AOR = 0.14 [0.03, 0.67], p = 0.014) lower odds compared to those who completed higher education, and mothers living in AL02-Qender and AL03-Jug regions had 62% (AOR = 0.38 [0.23, 0.63], p < 0.0001) and 64% (AOR = 0.36 [0.24, 0.53], p < 0.0001) lower odds respectively in comparison to those residing in AL01-Veri region (p < 0.0001).   With respect to vaccine confidence, mothers whose main health information source was the Internet/social media had 56% (AOR = 0.44 [0.27, 0.73], p = 0.002) lower odds in comparison to other sources, single mothers had 92% (AOR = 0.08 [0.01, 0.65], p = 0.019) lower odds compared to those married/living with a partner, mothers of specific ethnicites (like Roma) had 61% (AOR = 0.39 [0.15, 0.97], p = 0.042) lower odds in comparison to mothers of Albanian ethnicity, and mothers living in AL03-Jug region had 67% (AOR = 0.33 [0.19, 0.59], p ≤ 0.0001) lower odds compared to mothers residing in AL01-Veri region.

Conclusions

Reinforcement of scientific evidence-based online communication about childhood immunisation in combination with tracking and analysis of vaccine hesitancy sentiment and anti-vaccination movements on the Internet/social media would be beneficial in improving immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence in Albania. Since parents tend to search online for information that would confirm their original beliefs, traditional ways of promoting vaccination by healthcare professionals who enjoy confidence as trusted sources of health information should be sustained and strengthened to target the inequities in childhood immunisation timelines and vaccine confidence in Albania.

National Swedish survey showed that child health services and routine immunisation programmes were resilient during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Aim

Routine immunisation programmes are at risk of disruption due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the resilience of the Swedish national immunisation programme for children up to the age of five years during the early stages of the pandemic.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional, web‐based survey of regional child health offices in Sweden between 10 September and 9 October 2020. It explored the organisation of child health services during the early stages of the pandemic, focusing on routine child immunisation.

Results

All 21 Swedish regional child health offices responded. They stated that child immunisation had been prioritised, communication with families had been intensified and there was greater flexibility at all organisational levels of child health services. In addition, the vaccine supply was sustained and child health centres remained open. However, there were periodic staff shortages, increased numbers of health visits cancelled by parents and most parent education groups were paused.

Conclusion

The Swedish immunisation programme was resilient during the early COVID‐19 pandemic, thanks to sustainable organisation co‐ordinated by Sweden's network of regional child health offices.

Childhood vaccination coverage in Australia: an equity perspective

BACKGROUND

This study describes trends in social inequities in first dose measles-mumps-rubella (MMR1) vaccination coverage in Western Australia (WA) and New South Wales (NSW). Using probabilistically-linked administrative data for 1.2 million children born between 2002 and 2011, we compared levels and trends in MMR1 vaccination coverage measured at age 24 months by maternal country of birth, Aboriginal status, maternal age at delivery, socio-economic status, and remoteness in two states.

RESULTS

Vaccination coverage was 3-4% points lower among children of mothers who gave birth before the age of 20 years, mothers born overseas, mothers with an Aboriginal background, and parents with a low socio-economic status compared to children that did not belong to these social groups. In both states, between 2007 and 2011 there was a decline of 2.1% points in MMR1 vaccination coverage for children whose mothers were born overseas. In 2011, WA had lower coverage among the Aboriginal population (89.5%) and children of young mothers (89.3%) compared to NSW (92.2 and 92.1% respectively).

CONCLUSION

Despite overall high coverage of MMR1 vaccination, coverage inequalities increased especially for children of mothers born overseas. Strategic immunisation plans and policy interventions are important for equitable vaccination levels. Future policy should target children of mothers born overseas and Aboriginal children.

Socioeconomic deprivation is inversely associated with measles incidence: a longitudinal small-area analysis, Germany, 2001 to 2017

BackgroundAlthough measles is endemic throughout the World Health Organization European Region, few studies have analysed socioeconomic inequalities and spatiotemporal variations in the disease's incidence.AimTo study the association between socioeconomic deprivation and measles incidence in Germany, while considering relevant demographic, spatial and temporal factors.MethodsWe conducted a longitudinal small-area analysis using nationally representative linked data in 401 districts (2001-2017). We used spatiotemporal Bayesian regression models to assess the potential effect of area deprivation on measles incidence, adjusted for demographic and geographical factors, as well as spatial and temporal effects. We estimated risk ratios (RR) for deprivation quintiles (Q1-Q5), and district-specific adjusted relative risks (ARR) to assess the area-level risk profile of measles in Germany.ResultsThe risk of measles incidence in areas with lowest deprivation quintile (Q1) was 1.58 times higher (95% credible interval (CrI): 1.32-2.00) than in those with highest deprivation (Q5). Areas with medium-low (Q2), medium (Q3) and medium-high deprivation (Q4) had higher adjusted risks of measles relative to areas with highest deprivation (Q5) (RR: 1.23, 95%CrI: 0.99-1.51; 1.05, 95%CrI: 0.87-1.26 and 1.23, 95%CrI: 1.05-1.43, respectively). We identified 54 districts at medium-high risk for measles (ARR > 2) in Germany, of which 22 were at high risk (ARR > 3).ConclusionSocioeconomic deprivation in Germany, one of Europe's most populated countries, is inversely associated with measles incidence. This association persists after demographic and spatiotemporal factors are considered. The social, spatial and temporal patterns of elevated risk require targeted public health action and policy to address the complexity underlying measles epidemiology.

Healthcare professionals' perceptions about interprofessional teamwork: a national survey within Swedish child healthcare services

BACKGROUND

Globally, interprofessional teamwork is described as a key method to promote health and prevent illness in children, namely, to achieve the goals of Child Healthcare Services (CHS). However, how teamwork should be designed within CHS to achieve the goals is unclear. This study aimed to investigate healthcare professionals' perceptions about 1) taking part in interprofessional teamwork, 2) team characteristics, and 3) whether the perceptions were related to professional affiliation or workplace.

METHODS

A national cross-sectional survey was conducted using a web-based study-specific questionnaire sent to all accessible nurses, physicians, and psychologists in Swedish CHS (n = 3552). The response rate was 31.5%. To identify possible associations, logistic regressions were conducted.

RESULTS

Almost all respondents, 1096/1119 (97.9%), reported taking part in some type of interprofessional teamwork within the Swedish CHS. Among those, the most common was team-based visits (82.2%). It was perceived that performing team-based visits resulted in fulfilled goals, expertise exceeding individual team members' competences, provision of high-quality care, and meeting children's and families' needs, to a greater extent, than if not performing team-based visits. Correspondingly, working as a team in parental groups was perceived as resulting in fulfilled goals, meeting the needs of children and their families, and continuity within the team to a greater extent than if not working together in a team. Professional affiliation was associated with different perceptions and types of teamwork. Family Centers were positively associated with all types of teamwork as well as continuity within the team.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals' perceptions about team characteristics were associated with professional affiliation, workplace, and type of teamwork (defined as team activities) within the CHS. Professionals within Swedish CHS, taking part in team-based visits and in interprofessional teamwork in parental groups, perceived that the team fulfilled its goals and met the needs of children and families to a greater extent than professionals not taking part in these types of teamwork. Professionals at Family Centers were more likely to work in teams in different ways. Knowledge about interprofessional teamwork for individuals and groups in Swedish CHS might also be valuable in other healthcare settings, dealing with complex needs.

Vaccine hesitancy in the era of COVID-19

Objectives

In 2019, a new coronavirus has been identified and many efforts have been directed toward the development of effective vaccines. However, the willingness for vaccination is deeply influenced by several factors. So the aim of our review was to analyze the theme of vaccine hesitancy during COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on vaccine hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccine.

Study design

Narrative review.

Methods

In November 2020, we performed a search for original peer-reviewed articles in the electronic database PubMed (MEDLINE). The key search terms were “Vaccine hesitancy AND COVID-19”. We searched for studies published during COVID-19 pandemic and reporting information about the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy.

Results

Fifteen studies were included in the review. The percentage of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was not so high (up to 86.1% students or 77.6% general population); for influenza vaccine, the maximum percentage was 69%. Several factors influenced the acceptance or refusal (ethnicity, working status, religiosity, politics, gender, age, education, income, etc.).

The most given reasons to refuse vaccine were as follows: being against vaccines in general, concerns about safety/thinking that a vaccine produced in a rush is too dangerous, considering the vaccine useless because of the harmless nature of COVID-19, general lack of trust, doubts about the efficiency of the vaccine, belief to be already immunized, doubt about the provenience of vaccine.

Conclusions

The high vaccine hesitancy, also during COVID-19 pandemic, represents an important problem, and further efforts should be done to support people and give them correct information about vaccines.

Socioeconomic Determinants in Vaccine Hesitancy and Vaccine Refusal in Italy

Childhood vaccination has been a milestone in the control of infectious diseases. However, even in countries offering equal access to vaccination, a number of vaccine-preventable diseases have re-emerged. Suboptimal vaccination coverage has been called into question. The aim was to explore socioeconomic inequalities in vaccine hesitancy and outright refusal. Families with at least one child aged between 3 months and 7 years were involved through an online survey. Families were classified as provaccine, hesitant, or antivaccine. The association between socioeconomic determinants and hesitancy/refusal was investigated with a logistic-regression model. A total of 3865 questionnaires were collected: 64.0% of families were provaccine, 32.4% hesitant, and 3.6% antivaccine. Rising levels of perceived economic hardship were associated with hesitancy (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) from 1.34 to 1.59), and lower parental education was significantly associated with refusal (AOR from 1.89 to 3.39). Family economic hardship and parental education did not move in parallel. Economic hardship was a determinant of hesitancy. Lower education was a predictor of outright refusal without affecting hesitancy. These findings may serve as warnings, and further explanations of socioeconomic inequities are needed even in universal healthcare systems. Insight into these factors is necessary to improve convenience and remove potential access issues.

Organisation of preventive child health services: Key to socio-economic equity in vaccine uptake?

Background: Measles has made a comeback in Western Europe, with more cases being reported each year. One factor behind this development is low vaccination coverage in socially disadvantaged segments of the population in many countries. This study investigates whether socioeconomic patterns of uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the Nordic countries differ by national organisation of preventive health services for children. Methods: MMR vaccine uptake before the age of two years was analysed in register data from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden, linked to family indicators of socio-economic status (SES) from national registers. Results: Denmark, a country where child vaccinations are administered by general practitioners, presented the lowest overall coverage of MMR at 83%. It also had the greatest difference between subpopulations of low and high SES at 14 percentage points. Finland, Iceland and Sweden, countries where preschool children are vaccinated in 'well-baby' clinics, had a higher overall coverage at 91-94%, with a more equal distribution between SES groups at 1-4 percentage points. Conclusions: This study suggests that the organisation of preventive health care in special units, 'well-baby' clinics, facilitates vaccine uptake among children with low SES in a Nordic welfare context.