Perceptions and Knowledge About the MenB Vaccine Among Parents of High School Students

Abstract

Serogroup B meningococcal disease (MenB) causes almost 60% of meningitis cases among adolescents and young adults. Yet, MenB vaccine coverage among adolescents remains below 10%. Since parents are the primary medical decision makers for adolescents, we examined MenB vaccination rates and parent attitudes about meningitis and the MenB vaccine. In 2018, in conjunction with a county-wide, school-based immunization campaign, we conducted a mixed methods study among parents of 16- to 17-year-olds. We facilitated focus groups asking parents about their knowledge of meningitis and reactions to educational materials and sent behavioral surveys based on Health Belief Model constructs to parents through the county high school system. Parents in three focus groups (n = 8; participation rate = 13%) expressed confusion about their child’s need to receive the MenB vaccine in addition to the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY), but conveyed strong trust in their physicians’ recommendation. Among survey participants (n = 170), 70 (41%) had heard of the MenB vaccine. Among those 70 parents, the most common barriers to vaccination were concerns about side effects (55%) and uncertainty of susceptibility due to receipt of the MenACWY vaccine (30%). The percentage of teens that received at least one dose of the MenB vaccine was 50% (n = 35) by parent report and 23% (n = 16) by state vaccination records. Parents demonstrated uncertainty and confusion about the MenB vaccine particularly due to the existence of another meningitis vaccine and limited health care provider recommendations. Confirmatory studies of parent confusion about the MenB vaccine are needed to develop interventions.

The Mediating Role of the Perceived COVID-19 Vaccine Benefits: Examining Israeli Parents’ Perceptions Regarding Their Adolescents’ Vaccination

“…In the current study, the main perceived benefit of vaccination was the adolescents' opportunity to resume their pre-COVID-19 routine, while the main barriers related to the vaccine's novelty and its long-term implications. While these findings are consistent with those of previous studies, emphasizing the relevance of the HBM variables for vaccination adherence in general [18,44,50], and of the perceived barriers for vaccination specifically [15,17,21,[51][52][53], the current study is novel in emphasizing the pivotal role of the perceived vaccination benefits. In addition, parents with higher levels of trust in the healthcare system were more inclined to perceive vaccination benefits as more positive, and accordingly, tended to present higher levels of adolescents' vaccination adherence.…”

“…Further research aimed at identifying barriers to HPV vaccination found that a low perceived risk of HPV infection, concerns regarding the vaccine's effect on sexual behavior, parental need for information, high perceived harm (from the vaccine), and low perceived vaccine effectiveness were among the leading factors presented [15]. In addition, health professionals' recommendation was found to have a strong influence on parents' decision to vaccinate their children in recommended childhood vaccinations [15][16][17][18]. As expected, adolescents living with HPV-vaccine-hesitant parents were less likely to receive the vaccine or complete the vaccine series [13].…”

The Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Meningococcal Vaccination Awareness, Delivery, and Coverage in Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States: A Systematic Review

“…Several studies have shown that there is a lack of meningococcal disease and meningococcal vaccine knowledge among parents [ 12 , 18 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. This lack of awareness has resulted in disparities in meningococcal vaccination rates among those in the 10- to 23-year age range.…”

What do adolescents think about vaccines? Systematic review of qualitative studies

“…While an incomplete understanding of vaccines or vaccine preventable diseases is certainly not unique to adolescents [21,22,79] it is important to acknowledge that adolescents may have different healthcare information needs and concerns than adults. They may also have different risk perceptions compared to adults and may be less motivated to seek preventative care [8].…”

“…Studies included in this systematic review show such information should be clearly intended for and communicated directly to adolescents. While adolescents may perceive their parents to be reliable sources of vaccine information and advice, parents themselves often may not be knowledgeable about vaccines [79,84,85], underscoring the importance of continuing to provide vaccine information to parents as well as adolescents.…”