People who take care of children may be reluctant to get vaccinated and have wrong beliefs

Even one of the people whose children receive the first dose of influenza vaccine may be hesitant and have misconceptions about influenza vaccine and the disease, according to a new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on pediatric research in the office (PRS) conducted in collaboration with investigators from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the Irving Medical Center of Columbia University and the AAP. The results of the study will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2019 meeting, which will take place from April 24 to May 1 in Baltimore.

The study evaluated vaccine hesitancy and influenza illness as well as vaccine beliefs among caregivers of children who received the first of two doses of influenza vaccine required. To benefit from adequate protection against the flu, many children aged six months to eight years require two doses of influenza vaccine per season. Only half of those who receive a first dose receive a second.

"In our study, over 90% of caregivers, whose children needed two doses of influenza vaccine that season, thought their child would be" protected from a single flu shot "and 12% had Moderate to strong hesitation with regard to the vaccine, "said Ekaterina. Nekrasova, MPH, research badistant at PolicyLab and the CHOP Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, and one of the authors of the study. "Caregivers had other inaccurate beliefs about flu and vaccination, even after their child received the first of two doses of influenza vaccine required.Our findings underscore the importance of promoting the second dose of vaccine. influenza and educate caregivers about influenza illness and vaccination before and after they agree to the first dose. "

As part of the NIH-funded Flu2Text national study conducted during the 2017-2018 season, a telephone survey collected demographic information on child caregivers (age, English, child) and the participating child (age, gender, race, children). ethnicity, type of insurance, state of health). Each child received the first dose of influenza vaccine, needed a second dose that season, and was enrolled in a study on SMS influenza vaccine recalls. Caregivers completed a validated measure of vaccine hesitancy (PACV-5) and a series of questions to badess their knowledge of influenza and vaccine infection.

The researchers evaluated the badociation of the caregiver's and child's demographic characteristics with vaccine-related hesitancy and beliefs about the flu. The standardized (adjusted) proportion of caregivers approving each outcome was calculated using a logistic regression.

The badyzes included responses from 256 participants from 36 practices of the AAP PROS primary care network in 24 states. The study found that 11.7% of caregivers had moderate or high reluctance to the vaccine. A high proportion of caregivers had the following misconceptions: "the flu is only a cold" (40.2%); the child will be protected by "a single flu shot" (93.8%); "influenza vaccine causes flu" (57%); children can not "die of the flu" (68%).

The results of the study underscore the importance for the clinical team to comprehensively address misperceptions and promote immunization even after caregivers have accepted the first dose.

Nekrasova will present the findings of "Vaccine Hibernation and Influenza Beliefs in Parents of Children Requiring a Second Shot of Influenza Vaccine During Childhood. a season: AAP PROS study "Monday, April 29 at 10:30 am EDT. Journalists interested in an interview with Nekrasova should contact [email protected] Please note that only abstracts are presented at the meeting. In some cases, researchers may have additional data to share with the media.

The PAS 2019 meeting brings together thousands of pediatricians and other health care providers with the goal of improving the health and well-being of children around the world.