Omission bias and vaccine rejection by parents of healthy children: Implications for the influenza A/H1N1 vaccination programme

Brown, Katrina; Kroll, J. Simon; Hudson, Michael J.; Ramsay, Mary; Green, John; Vincent, Charles; Fraser, Graham; Sevdalis, Nick

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.04.012

Cited by 88 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…For these individuals, information sources were unable to mitigate their concerns about vaccine safety [55]. Finally, vaccine safety concerns impacted the vaccination choices of parents, many of whom were more willing to accept the risk of H1N1 to their children than an adverse response to the vaccine [56].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Pictures Waste a Thousand Words: Analysis of the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic on Television News

2013

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ObjectivesEffective communication by public health agencies during a pandemic promotes the adoption of recommended health behaviours. However, more information is not always the solution. Rather, attention must be paid to how information is communicated. Our study examines the television news, which combines video and audio content. We analyse (1) the content of television news about the H1N1 pandemic and vaccination campaign in Alberta, Canada; (2) the extent to which television news content conveyed key public health agency messages; (3) the extent of discrepancies in audio versus visual content.MethodsWe searched for “swine flu” and “H1N1” in local English news broadcasts from the CTV online video archive. We coded the audio and visual content of 47 news clips during the peak period of coverage from April to November 2009 and identified discrepancies between audio and visual content.ResultsThe dominant themes on CTV news were the vaccination rollout, vaccine shortages, long line-ups (queues) at vaccination clinics and defensive responses by public health officials. There were discrepancies in the priority groups identified by the provincial health agency (Alberta Health and Wellness) and television news coverage as well as discrepancies between audio and visual content of news clips. Public health officials were presented in official settings rather than as public health practitioners.ConclusionThe news footage did not match the main public health messages about risk levels and priority groups. Public health agencies lost control of their message as the media focused on failures in the rollout of the vaccination campaign. Spokespeople can enhance their local credibility by emphasizing their role as public health practitioners. Public health agencies need to learn from the H1N1 pandemic so that future television communications do not add to public confusion, demonstrate bureaucratic ineffectiveness and contribute to low vaccination rates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Pictures Waste a Thousand Words: Analysis of the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic on Television News

2013

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“…Since many news on the media laid emphasis on allegedly "fast-track approval" of the vaccine, which was though not faster than the seasonal ones, possibly the public was predisposed to pay more attention on the potential adverse effects [2]. Another debate was on the adjuvant (squalene) and preservative (thiomersal) contents of the vaccine, which were both brand new topics for Turkish media and the public.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors associated with parental acceptance and refusal of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccine in Turkey

et al. 2011

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The objective of this study was to investigate the parents' attitudes towards and identify the possible factors associated with pandemic H1N1 vaccine uptake that was recommended to children between 6 months and 5 years of age. A questionnaire exploring the attitudes of parents to H1N1 vaccine was given to parents of children 6 through 60 months of age attending to Akdeniz and Gazi University Hospitals' well-child departments between 15 November 2009 and 15 January 2010. The questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, parental perception of the severity of the pandemic, the presence of anyone in their environment who suffered from pandemic influenza, their decision on whether or not to vaccinate their child, the factors that influenced them during decision-making process and possible factors that might have influenced the opponents of their decision. Those who accepted to get their children vaccinated got it immediately, free of charge. Out of 611 parents who responded the questionnaire 226 (36.7%) had their children vaccinated. Parental education period of less than 12 years, not being a close relative of a health care worker, not having a relative who suffered from the disease, having a child younger than 36 months, being influenced by the relatives' opinions or from the politicians or from the media all decreased vaccine acceptance. Factors that were most significantly associated with vaccine refusal were thinking that the pandemic was exaggerated (OR 9.44, 95% CI 4.28-20.82) and believing that other preventive measures were more effective than H1N1 vaccine (OR 15.61, 95% CI 7.37-33.08). Lessons learned from influenza H1N1/2009 pandemic may help national authorities, health care providers and media on how to keep the public well informed and find ways of better risk-benefit communication with the parents on vaccines.

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“…These two concerns are rooted in the cognitive fallacy of omission bias. 20 This bias allows one to overemphasize the risks of doing something and minimize the risks of not doing something. Some other common concerns center on the number of vaccines currently mandated.…”

Section: Factors Aiding In the Recruitment Of Vaccine Hesitancymentioning

confidence: 99%

Vaccine hesitancy: More than a movement

Callender

2016

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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Vaccines are some of if not the most successful public health endeavors ever put into practice. Countless lives have been saved and the occurrences of vaccine preventable diseases are at a fraction of the rate experienced before vaccines. Vaccines and the realization of their compulsory scheduling are highly studied, safe, and purposeful. Despite these realities, there are an alarming number of parents who do not permit the vaccination of their children as scheduled. This is known in the health community as vaccine hesitancy and commonly portrayed in popular media as anti-vaccination sediment. This analysis opens with the topic as it was addressed during a September 2015 debate for the Republic Party's 2016 presidential nomination. Some key historical aspects of vaccine hesitancy are presented. This history leads to a description of the 2014-2015 measles outbreak in California. The factors that aide in the recruitment of under vaccination are then explored. Finally, select strategies to control, combat, and potentially attenuate vaccine hesitancy are presented.

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Omission bias and vaccine rejection by parents of healthy children: Implications for the influenza A/H1N1 vaccination programme

Cited by 88 publications

References 31 publications

When Pictures Waste a Thousand Words: Analysis of the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic on Television News

When Pictures Waste a Thousand Words: Analysis of the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic on Television News

Factors associated with parental acceptance and refusal of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccine in Turkey

Vaccine hesitancy: More than a movement

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