Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review
Abstract Background: Immunisation is one of the most important public health interventions that has had the greatest impact on global health, particularly amongst the infant population, (WHO, 2009). In the United Kingdom immunisation is voluntary and a high level of uptake for childhood immunisatio...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2010
|
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/23623/ |
| _version_ | 1848792599296475136 |
|---|---|
| author | Tyson, Rachael |
| author_facet | Tyson, Rachael |
| author_sort | Tyson, Rachael |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Abstract
Background: Immunisation is one of the most important public health interventions that has had the greatest impact on global health, particularly amongst the infant population, (WHO, 2009). In the United Kingdom immunisation is voluntary and a high level of uptake for childhood immunisations is achieved, this is however threatened by vaccine controversy. Parents often find their immunisation decision difficult and there are some inadequacies in the current system of support, therefore a review of the decision-making process considering the influences on parents’ vaccination choice is required.
Methods: A critical review was carried out; literature searches were conducted using the databases CINHAL, EMBASE and ScienceDirect (Elsevier). The search criteria were ‘childhood immunisation’ AND ‘vaccination decisions’ AND ‘united kingdom.’ Manuel searches of the reference lists of appropriate papers returned more relevant literature. The review tools; Greenhalgh’s criteria for evaluating qualitative research papers (1997) and Crombie’s the pocket guide to critical appraisal (2003) were used to assess the quality of the papers included. The papers were thematically analysed.
Results: Three main themes concerning the determinants of a vaccination decision arose from the literature; the impact of public health information provision, health professional support and parents own personal opinions and beliefs. Furthermore a decision of vaccination acceptance did not necessarily reflect an informed decision.
Conclusions: Parents have unmet support and information needs which impede an informed decision. Vaccine controversy intensifies the difficult decision parents face, trust is an issue of great importance in which vaccination decisions depend. Parents experience some pressure to accept childhood immunisation. Parental concerns are genuine and must be respected as such, this might require a new approach to the exchange and delivery of immunisation information, the role of health professionals in the community are integral to this. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:46:58Z |
| format | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-23623 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:46:58Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-236232022-03-21T16:07:02Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/23623/ Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review Tyson, Rachael Abstract Background: Immunisation is one of the most important public health interventions that has had the greatest impact on global health, particularly amongst the infant population, (WHO, 2009). In the United Kingdom immunisation is voluntary and a high level of uptake for childhood immunisations is achieved, this is however threatened by vaccine controversy. Parents often find their immunisation decision difficult and there are some inadequacies in the current system of support, therefore a review of the decision-making process considering the influences on parents’ vaccination choice is required. Methods: A critical review was carried out; literature searches were conducted using the databases CINHAL, EMBASE and ScienceDirect (Elsevier). The search criteria were ‘childhood immunisation’ AND ‘vaccination decisions’ AND ‘united kingdom.’ Manuel searches of the reference lists of appropriate papers returned more relevant literature. The review tools; Greenhalgh’s criteria for evaluating qualitative research papers (1997) and Crombie’s the pocket guide to critical appraisal (2003) were used to assess the quality of the papers included. The papers were thematically analysed. Results: Three main themes concerning the determinants of a vaccination decision arose from the literature; the impact of public health information provision, health professional support and parents own personal opinions and beliefs. Furthermore a decision of vaccination acceptance did not necessarily reflect an informed decision. Conclusions: Parents have unmet support and information needs which impede an informed decision. Vaccine controversy intensifies the difficult decision parents face, trust is an issue of great importance in which vaccination decisions depend. Parents experience some pressure to accept childhood immunisation. Parental concerns are genuine and must be respected as such, this might require a new approach to the exchange and delivery of immunisation information, the role of health professionals in the community are integral to this. 2010 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/23623/1/Appendix_1.pdf application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/23623/2/Rachael_Tyson_Dissertation_2010%5B1%5D.pdf Tyson, Rachael (2010) Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished) |
| spellingShingle | Tyson, Rachael Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review |
| title | Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review |
| title_full | Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review |
| title_fullStr | Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review |
| title_short | Why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the UK? : A Critical Review |
| title_sort | why do many parents currently feel compelled to immunise their children in the uk? : a critical review |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/23623/ |