Abstract
Objective Vaccine hesitancy and refusal and the resulting outbreaks of vaccine-preventable
diseases continue to be an issue today. Most of contemporary research on these issues
has focused on underlying characteristics of non-vaccinators and ambivalent parents;
however, few studies have looked into how or when vaccine preferences develop. In
this study, we sought to explore when parental preferences for vaccines develop in
relation to a pregnancy. We also examined self-reported influences on vaccine decision
making.
Methods We recruited and administered a short survey to parents at the North Carolina Women's
Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC, following the birth of their child from February to April
2015.
Results A total of 166 parents (55%) completed the entire survey. Seventy-two percent of
surveyed parents reported deciding on their vaccine preferences for their newborn
before conception. Parents who were older, Caucasian, married, and had attained higher
levels of education were significantly more likely to develop preconception vaccine
preferences. The presence of partner conversations in the past and the desire for
more information on vaccines were also significant predictors of preconception vaccine
preference development. After logistic regression adjustment, only education level
and past vaccine conversations remained significant. The most common influences for
vaccine decision making were family, friends, and medical staff and organizations.
Conclusion Our study documents that a majority of parents establish vaccine decision making
and preferences before conception. Notable influences from friends, family, and medical
sources are part of the process. These findings suggest that vaccine information and
interventions currently are given too late in the vaccine preference decision-making
process.
Keywords
vaccine preference - vaccine hesitancy - vaccine refusal
