Pro-vaccination Groups Expressing Hesitant Attitudes: A Cross-Sectional Study About the Difference Between Attitudes and Actual Behavior in Israel

The Common Way in Which the Ministry of Health Conveys Information to the Public: A Simulation Among Israeli Parents with Different Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Vaccination During a Measles Outbreak in Israel

BACKGROUND

Despite several empirical studies that have emphasized the problematic and ineffective way in which health organizations 'correct' information which does not come from them, they have not yet found ways to properly address vaccine hesitancy.

OBJECTIVES

(1) Examining the responses of groups with different attitudes/ behaviors regarding vaccination; (2) Examining the effect of the common methods of correcting information regarding the response of subgroups, while examining issues of reliability, satisfaction, and information seeking, as well as how health organization tools aid the decision-making process regarding vaccines.

METHODS

A simulation study that included 150 parents of kindergarten children was carried out.

RESULTS

Significant difference was found among the various groups (with respect to vaccination behavior) regarding the extent of their trust in the Ministry of Health (χ2(3) = 46.33; P < 0.0001), the reliability of the Ministry of Health's response (χ2(3) = 31.56; P < 0.0001), satisfaction with the Ministry of Health's response (χ2(3) = 25.25; P < 0.0001), and the level of help they felt the Ministry of Health's tools provided them regarding vaccine-related decision making (χ2(3) = 27.76; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

It is important for health organizations to gain the public's trust, especially that of pro-vaccination groups with hesitant attitudes, while addressing the public's fears and concerns.

Prevalence of Ivermectin use to prevent COVID-19 during the pandemic in Mato Grosso: cross-sectional home-based study

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the use of ivermectin as COVID-19 prevention method by the population of Mato Grosso in 2020.

METHODS

This is a home-based survey, carried out between September and October 2020, in 10 pole cities of the socioeconomic regions of State. The use of ivermectin was evaluated through the question: "Did you take ivermectin to prevent COVID-19?". Sociodemographic variables (sex, age group, education, family income), current work situation, being benefitted by government financial programs, as well as symptoms, seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and previous diagnosis of COVID-19 were evaluated. Prevalence and their associations were estimated using the chi-square test.

RESULTS

4.206 individuals were evaluated for prevalence of ivermectin use; 58.3% of the individuals responded positively, this rate being higher in the municipalities of the western region of the state (66.6%). There was no significant difference between sexes, but the prevalence was higher among people aged 50-59 years (69.7%), who were white (66.5%), with complete higher education or more (68.8%) and higher family income (≥3 minimum wages-64.2%). The use of this drug was even higher among participants who considered their knowledge of the disease good or very good (65.0%), who reported having symptoms of COVID-19 (75.3%), and who had been previously diagnosed with the disease (91.2%).

CONCLUSION

There was a high prevalence of use of ivermectin as a method to prevent covid-19 by the population of Mato Grosso, indicating the need for strategies to inform the population about the risks of off-label use of drugs and to combat the advertising of drugs that are ineffective against COVID-19.

Hesitant and anti-vaccination groups: A qualitative study on their perceptions and attitudes regarding vaccinations and their reluctance to participate in academic research- an example during a measles outbreak among a group of Jewish parents in Israel

Background

Vaccination is widespread in Western countries and, overall, there is a high vaccination rate. However, immunization is still an enduring challenge. In recent years, the number of parents who choose to delay or refuse vaccines has risen.

Objectives

(1) to identify the perceptions and attitudes of hesitant and anti-vaccination parents regarding vaccination in general, and vaccinating their children in particular and; (2) to describe the responses of potential participants to the request to participate in academic research regarding their perceptions and attitudes on the subject of vaccines.

Methods

The research employs the qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological method using two research tools: (1) in-depth interviews with 7 hesitant and 11 anti-vaccination Jewish parents in Israel; and (2) the researchers' field notes from this study process, which describe the responses of 32 potential participants to the request to participate in this academic research.

Results

The main findings indicate that while most of the interviewees admit to the efficacy of vaccines in preventing diseases, they oppose the way in which vaccines are promoted-based on providing partial information and disregarding parents' concerns and questions. Therefore, they demand transparency about the efficacy and safety of vaccines. The findings also point to a paradoxical finding. On the one hand, these groups claim that health organizations do not understand their position, referring to them as "science-deniers", even though they are not. On the other hand, these parents choose to refrain from participating in scientific studies and voicing their opinions, thereby perpetuating the situation of being misunderstood.

Conclusion

Hesitant and anti-vaccination groups express mistrust in academic institutions and health organizations. Therefore, an effective dialogue that would include hesitant and anti-vaccination groups, the academy, and health organizations may contribute to a better understanding of the barriers that prevent these groups from getting vaccinated or vaccinating their children and promote public health.