TY - JOUR
T1 - A psychosocial critique of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on UK care home staff attitudes to the flu vaccination: A qualitative longitudinal study
AU - Anyiam-Osigwe, Adaku
AU - Katangwe-Chigamba, Thando
AU - Scott, Sion
AU - Seeley, Carys
AU - Patel, Amrish
AU - Sims, Erika J.
AU - Holland, Richard
AU - Bion, Veronica
AU - Clark, Allan B.
AU - Wyn Griffiths, Alys
AU - Jones, Liz
AU - Wagner, Adam P.
AU - Wright, David J.
AU - Birt, Linda
N1 - Data Availability Statement: The original contributions presented in this study are included within the article/Supplementary Materials. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Funding Information: The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Public Health Research funding stream. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care [Grant ref: NIHR133455]. APW is also supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration East of England (NIHR ARC EoE) at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
PY - 2024/12/20
Y1 - 2024/12/20
N2 - Background/Objectives: Vaccinating care home staff is essential to protect vulnerable residents by reducing infection risks and creating a safer care environment. However, vaccine hesitancy amongst staff remains a challenge, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about side effects and vaccination mandates. This study examines how the pandemic influenced flu vaccine hesitancy amongst UK care home staff. Methods: Data were collected from the FluCare trials conducted over the 2021–22 and 2022–23 winter seasons to explore the impact of concurrent mandatory and non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies on flu vaccine uptake. A total of 52 interviews (21 from the feasibility study and 31 from the randomised control trial) were conducted with care home managers and staff. Thematic analysis identified key themes shaping staff attitudes toward flu vaccination. Results: Four central themes emerged regarding the impact of the pandemic on staff attitudes and the contextual influences shaping vaccine hesitance: (i) tension between autonomy and morals in vaccination decisions; (ii) the COVID ‘craze’ and the displacement of the flu vaccine; (iii) the role of the COVID ‘craze’ in staff vaccine fatigue; and (iv) conspiracies, (mis)information, and the significance of trust. Psychosocial theories on decision making and health behaviour were used to further interpret the findings. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that post-COVID-19 interventions in care home setting should address the issues of autonomy, vaccine fatigue, and trust to enhance vaccine uptake. Understanding these factors could support more effective strategies to address hesitancy amongst care home staff in future vaccination campaigns.
AB - Background/Objectives: Vaccinating care home staff is essential to protect vulnerable residents by reducing infection risks and creating a safer care environment. However, vaccine hesitancy amongst staff remains a challenge, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about side effects and vaccination mandates. This study examines how the pandemic influenced flu vaccine hesitancy amongst UK care home staff. Methods: Data were collected from the FluCare trials conducted over the 2021–22 and 2022–23 winter seasons to explore the impact of concurrent mandatory and non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies on flu vaccine uptake. A total of 52 interviews (21 from the feasibility study and 31 from the randomised control trial) were conducted with care home managers and staff. Thematic analysis identified key themes shaping staff attitudes toward flu vaccination. Results: Four central themes emerged regarding the impact of the pandemic on staff attitudes and the contextual influences shaping vaccine hesitance: (i) tension between autonomy and morals in vaccination decisions; (ii) the COVID ‘craze’ and the displacement of the flu vaccine; (iii) the role of the COVID ‘craze’ in staff vaccine fatigue; and (iv) conspiracies, (mis)information, and the significance of trust. Psychosocial theories on decision making and health behaviour were used to further interpret the findings. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that post-COVID-19 interventions in care home setting should address the issues of autonomy, vaccine fatigue, and trust to enhance vaccine uptake. Understanding these factors could support more effective strategies to address hesitancy amongst care home staff in future vaccination campaigns.
U2 - 10.3390/vaccines12121437
DO - 10.3390/vaccines12121437
M3 - Article
SN - 2076-393X
VL - 12
JO - Vaccines
JF - Vaccines
IS - 12
M1 - 1437
ER -
