Influenza and pertussis vaccination in pregnancy: portrayal in online media articles and perceptions of pregnant women and healthcare professionals

Christopher R. Wilcox; Kathryn Bottrell; Pauline Paterson; William S. Schulz; Tushna Vandrevala; Heidi J. Larson; Christine E. Jones

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092

Influenza and pertussis vaccination in pregnancy: portrayal in online media articles and perceptions of pregnant women and healthcare professionals

Christopher R. Wilcox
, Kathryn Bottrell
, Pauline Paterson
, William S. Schulz
, Tushna Vandrevala
, Heidi J. Larson
, Christine E. Jones

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Online media may influence women's decision to undergo vaccination during pregnancy. The aims of this mixed-methods study were to: (1) examine the portrayal of maternal vaccination in online media and (2) establish the perceived target of vaccine protection as viewed by pregnant women and maternity healthcare professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Online media articles on maternal vaccination (published July-December 2012 or November 2015-April 2016) were identified through the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's Vaccine Confidence Database and thematically analysed. Questionnaires for pregnant women and HCPs were distributed within four English hospitals (July 2017-January 2018). RESULTS: Of 203 articles identified, 60% related to pertussis vaccination, 33% to influenza and 6% both. The majority positively portrayed vaccination in pregnancy (97%), but inaccurate, negative articles persist which criticize pertussis vaccination's safety and efficacy. Positively-worded articles about pertussis tended to focus on infant protection and highlight examples of recent cases, whereas positively-worded articles about influenza focused on maternal protection. These themes were reflected in questionnaire responses from 314 pregnant women and 204 HCPs, who perceived pertussis vaccination as protecting the baby, and influenza vaccination as protecting the mother, or mother and baby equally. A minority of the pregnant women surveyed intended to decline influenza (22%) or pertussis (8%) vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of online articles support pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. The portrayal of pertussis vaccination as primarily benefiting the child, using real-examples, may influence its higher uptake compared with influenza. This approach should be considered by HCPs when recommending vaccination. HCPs should be prepared to provide advice to women hesitant about vaccination, including addressing any negative media, and consider educational strategies to counteract inaccurate information. Future studies should directly assess the influence of media on vaccine decision-making and establish which media platforms are typically used by pregnant women to gather information.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	7625-7631
Journal	Vaccine
Volume	36
Issue number	50
Early online date	3 Nov 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092
Publication status	Published - 29 Nov 2018

Bibliographical note

Note: This work was funded by the British Paediatric Allergy Immunity and Infection Group, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, EU Innovative Medicines Initiative, GlaxoSmithKline, the National Institute for Health Research, Novartis, the World Health Organization and the GCRF Networks in Vaccines Research and Development.

Keywords

Allied health professions and studies

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10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092

Vandrevala-T-42294-VoRFinal published version, 645 KBLicence: CC BY

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092

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@article{2e47fc101a05426cb17881eb865fdcec,

title = "Influenza and pertussis vaccination in pregnancy: portrayal in online media articles and perceptions of pregnant women and healthcare professionals",

abstract = "INTRODUCTION: Online media may influence women's decision to undergo vaccination during pregnancy. The aims of this mixed-methods study were to: (1) examine the portrayal of maternal vaccination in online media and (2) establish the perceived target of vaccine protection as viewed by pregnant women and maternity healthcare professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Online media articles on maternal vaccination (published July-December 2012 or November 2015-April 2016) were identified through the London School of Hygiene \& Tropical Medicine's Vaccine Confidence Database and thematically analysed. Questionnaires for pregnant women and HCPs were distributed within four English hospitals (July 2017-January 2018). RESULTS: Of 203 articles identified, 60\% related to pertussis vaccination, 33\% to influenza and 6\% both. The majority positively portrayed vaccination in pregnancy (97\%), but inaccurate, negative articles persist which criticize pertussis vaccination's safety and efficacy. Positively-worded articles about pertussis tended to focus on infant protection and highlight examples of recent cases, whereas positively-worded articles about influenza focused on maternal protection. These themes were reflected in questionnaire responses from 314 pregnant women and 204 HCPs, who perceived pertussis vaccination as protecting the baby, and influenza vaccination as protecting the mother, or mother and baby equally. A minority of the pregnant women surveyed intended to decline influenza (22\%) or pertussis (8\%) vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of online articles support pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. The portrayal of pertussis vaccination as primarily benefiting the child, using real-examples, may influence its higher uptake compared with influenza. This approach should be considered by HCPs when recommending vaccination. HCPs should be prepared to provide advice to women hesitant about vaccination, including addressing any negative media, and consider educational strategies to counteract inaccurate information. Future studies should directly assess the influence of media on vaccine decision-making and establish which media platforms are typically used by pregnant women to gather information.",

keywords = "Allied health professions and studies",

author = "Wilcox, \{Christopher R.\} and Kathryn Bottrell and Pauline Paterson and Schulz, \{William S.\} and Tushna Vandrevala and Larson, \{Heidi J.\} and Jones, \{Christine E.\}",

note = "Note: This work was funded by the British Paediatric Allergy Immunity and Infection Group, the Bill \& Melinda Gates Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, EU Innovative Medicines Initiative, GlaxoSmithKline, the National Institute for Health Research, Novartis, the World Health Organization and the GCRF Networks in Vaccines Research and Development.",

year = "2018",

month = nov,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092",

language = "English",

volume = "36",

pages = "7625--7631",

journal = "Vaccine",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Influenza and pertussis vaccination in pregnancy

T2 - portrayal in online media articles and perceptions of pregnant women and healthcare professionals

AU - Wilcox, Christopher R.

AU - Bottrell, Kathryn

AU - Paterson, Pauline

AU - Schulz, William S.

AU - Vandrevala, Tushna

AU - Larson, Heidi J.

AU - Jones, Christine E.

N1 - Note: This work was funded by the British Paediatric Allergy Immunity and Infection Group, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, EU Innovative Medicines Initiative, GlaxoSmithKline, the National Institute for Health Research, Novartis, the World Health Organization and the GCRF Networks in Vaccines Research and Development.

PY - 2018/11/29

Y1 - 2018/11/29

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Online media may influence women's decision to undergo vaccination during pregnancy. The aims of this mixed-methods study were to: (1) examine the portrayal of maternal vaccination in online media and (2) establish the perceived target of vaccine protection as viewed by pregnant women and maternity healthcare professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Online media articles on maternal vaccination (published July-December 2012 or November 2015-April 2016) were identified through the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's Vaccine Confidence Database and thematically analysed. Questionnaires for pregnant women and HCPs were distributed within four English hospitals (July 2017-January 2018). RESULTS: Of 203 articles identified, 60% related to pertussis vaccination, 33% to influenza and 6% both. The majority positively portrayed vaccination in pregnancy (97%), but inaccurate, negative articles persist which criticize pertussis vaccination's safety and efficacy. Positively-worded articles about pertussis tended to focus on infant protection and highlight examples of recent cases, whereas positively-worded articles about influenza focused on maternal protection. These themes were reflected in questionnaire responses from 314 pregnant women and 204 HCPs, who perceived pertussis vaccination as protecting the baby, and influenza vaccination as protecting the mother, or mother and baby equally. A minority of the pregnant women surveyed intended to decline influenza (22%) or pertussis (8%) vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of online articles support pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. The portrayal of pertussis vaccination as primarily benefiting the child, using real-examples, may influence its higher uptake compared with influenza. This approach should be considered by HCPs when recommending vaccination. HCPs should be prepared to provide advice to women hesitant about vaccination, including addressing any negative media, and consider educational strategies to counteract inaccurate information. Future studies should directly assess the influence of media on vaccine decision-making and establish which media platforms are typically used by pregnant women to gather information.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Online media may influence women's decision to undergo vaccination during pregnancy. The aims of this mixed-methods study were to: (1) examine the portrayal of maternal vaccination in online media and (2) establish the perceived target of vaccine protection as viewed by pregnant women and maternity healthcare professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Online media articles on maternal vaccination (published July-December 2012 or November 2015-April 2016) were identified through the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's Vaccine Confidence Database and thematically analysed. Questionnaires for pregnant women and HCPs were distributed within four English hospitals (July 2017-January 2018). RESULTS: Of 203 articles identified, 60% related to pertussis vaccination, 33% to influenza and 6% both. The majority positively portrayed vaccination in pregnancy (97%), but inaccurate, negative articles persist which criticize pertussis vaccination's safety and efficacy. Positively-worded articles about pertussis tended to focus on infant protection and highlight examples of recent cases, whereas positively-worded articles about influenza focused on maternal protection. These themes were reflected in questionnaire responses from 314 pregnant women and 204 HCPs, who perceived pertussis vaccination as protecting the baby, and influenza vaccination as protecting the mother, or mother and baby equally. A minority of the pregnant women surveyed intended to decline influenza (22%) or pertussis (8%) vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of online articles support pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. The portrayal of pertussis vaccination as primarily benefiting the child, using real-examples, may influence its higher uptake compared with influenza. This approach should be considered by HCPs when recommending vaccination. HCPs should be prepared to provide advice to women hesitant about vaccination, including addressing any negative media, and consider educational strategies to counteract inaccurate information. Future studies should directly assess the influence of media on vaccine decision-making and establish which media platforms are typically used by pregnant women to gather information.

KW - Allied health professions and studies

UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30401620

U2 - 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092

DO - 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.092

M3 - Article

C2 - 30401620

SN - 0264-410X

VL - 36

SP - 7625

EP - 7631

JO - Vaccine

JF - Vaccine

IS - 50

ER -

Influenza and pertussis vaccination in pregnancy: portrayal in online media articles and perceptions of pregnant women and healthcare professionals

Abstract

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