Caregiver decision making for seasonal respiratory vaccines for children - PROJECT SUMMARY In the current post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic era, the scientific community is preparing for the need for seasonal vaccination campaigns similar to annual influenza vaccination to slow transmission. Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines for children has been lackluster, mirroring a trend observed for seasonal influenza vaccines among pediatric patients. The low vaccination rates for both COVID-19 and influenza among children are starkly contrasted with the relatively stable, high rates for non-seasonal, childhood vaccines, including hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and varicella vaccines. These data support findings that parents are more hesitant to vaccinate their children against influenza when compared to non- seasonal, childhood vaccines, and the slow uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among children suggests that a similar trend has emerged for COVID-19. These overarching trends suggest that the determinants of parental hesitancy for seasonal respiratory vaccines (SRVs) may fundamentally differ from those for non-seasonal vaccines, though this phenomenon has not previously been explored. This gap has significant implications for the development of interventions to address SRV hesitancy. If the underlying determinants of vaccine hesitancy differ for seasonal versus non-seasonal vaccines, the evidence-based interventions employed to overcome vaccine hesitancy may not be transferrable to SRVs in the post-pandemic era. My long-term career goal is design and implement high-fidelity interventions for addressing pediatric vaccine hesitancy as an independently-funded investigator. The proposed project’s overall objective is to identify factors influencing parental SRV hesitancy in the post-pandemic era to inform a targeted communication strategies intervention for pediatricians tailored to address SRV hesitancy. We will accomplish the project objective through a mixed- methods study with the following aims: 1) Identify determinants of parental SRV hesitancy; 2) Identify pediatricians’ perceived challenges and facilitators of vaccine communication; and 3) Develop and pilot a communication strategies curriculum for pediatricians tailored to address parental SRV hesitancy. This pilot study has the potential to generate contemporary, evidence-based communication tools to minimize physician burnout around vaccine discussions, and ultimately to promote pediatric SRV uptake. In the process, I will advance my training by developing 1) expertise in health communication and behavioral science, 2) advanced techniques in mixed methods design, 3) expertise in health communication interventions and implementation science, and 4) leadership and professional development skills to translate my findings into clinical practice. In summary, this research will help develop my expertise in mixed methods and behavioral interventions, enabling me to become an independent investigator capable of developing and translating novel vaccine hesitancy interventions to real-world clinical settings, with the ultimate goal of promoting widespread vaccine uptake among children.
