How the experience of medical trauma shapes Australian non-vaccinating parents' vaccine refusal for their children: A qualitative exploration

Christou-Ergos, Maria; Leask, Julie; Wiley, Kerrie

doi:10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100143

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Previous studies have shown that traumatic events are associated with decreased vaccination intentions in adult populations and for child vaccination decisions made by parents who have experienced trauma [ 10 , 11 , 34 ]. The present study furthers this knowledge by contributing insights about vaccination decisions made by older adult populations who have experienced a traumatic event in the last twelve months.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of traumatic events, psychological distress, and social support: links to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and trends with age in a group of older Australians

Christou-Ergos,

Wiley,

Leask

2024

BMC Geriatr

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Background Vaccination is important to reduce disease-associated morbidity and mortality in an ageing global population. While older adults are more likely than younger adults to accept vaccines, some remain hesitant. We sought to understand how traumatic events, psychological distress and social support contribute to older adults’ intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and whether these experiences change with age. Methods We analysed survey data collected as part of the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study in a population of Australian adults aged 60 years and over. Data were derived from the COVID Insights study; a series of supplementary surveys about how participants experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Higher intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine was associated with greater social support (adjusted odds ratio (aOR):1.08; 95%CI:1.06–1.11; p <.001) while lower intention was associated with personally experiencing a serious illness, injury or assault in the last 12 months (aOR:0.79; 95% CI:0.64–0.98; p =.03). Social support and the experience of traumatic events increased significantly with age, while psychological distress decreased. Conclusions There may be factors beyond disease-associated risks that play a role in vaccine acceptance with age. Older Australians on the younger end of the age spectrum may have specific needs to address their hesitancy that may be overlooked.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of traumatic events, psychological distress, and social support: links to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and trends with age in a group of older Australians

Christou-Ergos,

Wiley,

Leask

2024

BMC Geriatr

Self Cite

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“…Some authors suggest that policy exemptions could be made justi able by imposing conditions that offset potential inequities. On this view, exemptions could be justi ed so long as the refuser is prepared to make a nancial or other contribution to help offset the potential nancial burden of the diseases they may cause, or to otherwise contribute to social good (2,22).…”

Section: Inequitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Vaccine Refusal and What to Do About It: a Systematic Review of the Ethical Literature

Wiley

Christou-Ergos

Degeling

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background: Parental refusal of routine childhood vaccination remains an ethically contested area. This systematic review sought to explore and characterise the normative arguments made about parental refusal of routine vaccination, with the aim of providing researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with a synthesis of current normative literature. Methods: Nine databases covering health and ethics research were searched, and 121 publications identified for the period Jan 1998 to Mar 2022. For articles, source journals were categorised according to Australian Standard Field of Research codes, and normative content was analysed using a framework analytical approach. Results: Most of the articles were published in biomedical journals (34%), bioethics journals (21%), and journals that carry both classifications (20%). Two central questions dominated the literature: 1) Whether vaccine refusal is justifiable (which we labelled ‘refusal arguments’); and 2) Whether strategies for dealing with those who reject vaccines are justifiable (‘response arguments’). Refusal arguments relied on principlism, religious frameworks, the rights and obligations of parents, the rights of children, the medico-legal best interests of the child standard, and the potential to cause harm to others. Response arguments were broadly divided into arguments about policy, arguments about how individual physicians should practice regarding vaccine rejectors, and both legal precedents and ethical arguments for vaccinating children against a parent’s will. Policy arguments considered the normative significance of coercion, non-medical or conscientious objections, and possible reciprocal social efforts to offset vaccine refusal. Individual physician practice arguments covered nudging and coercive practices, patient dismissal, and the ethical and professional obligations of physicians. Most of the legal precedents discussed were from the American setting, with some from the United Kingdom. Conclusions: This review provides a comprehensive picture of the scope and substance of normative arguments about vaccine refusal and responses to vaccine refusal. It can serve as a platform for future research to extend the current normative literature, better understand the role of cultural context in normative judgements about vaccination, and more comprehensively translate the nuance of ethical arguments into practice and policy.

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Association between traumatic life events and vaccine hesitancy: A cross-sectional Australian study

2023

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How the experience of medical trauma shapes Australian non-vaccinating parents' vaccine refusal for their children: A qualitative exploration

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

The experience of traumatic events, psychological distress, and social support: links to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and trends with age in a group of older Australians

The experience of traumatic events, psychological distress, and social support: links to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and trends with age in a group of older Australians

Vaccine Refusal and What to Do About It: a Systematic Review of the Ethical Literature

Association between traumatic life events and vaccine hesitancy: A cross-sectional Australian study

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