Understanding factors influencing vaccination uptake
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding factors influencing vaccination uptake among ethnic minorities during pregnancy in Hackney, London
IRAS ID
186948
Contact name
Rose JI Wilson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Title: Understanding factors influencing vaccination uptake among ethnic minorities during pregnancy
Maternal vaccination is effective at preventing illness in pregnant women and new-borns, however, uptake of such programmes has been low in some areas. Barriers to vaccination during pregnancy are complex and vary depending on context and population. Barriers include concerns about vaccine safety, socio-cultural beliefs, low knowledge about the vaccines, their efficacy, availability and the diseases they prevent and the absence of recommendations from healthcare workers.
Globally, there tends to be lower vaccination coverage among pregnant women of ethnic minorities in countries where one or more particular group is an ethnic minority group. However, little research has been conducted into how ethnicity and culture influences a pregnant woman’s decision to vaccinate. The aim of this research therefore, is to gain a contextualised understanding of barriers and facilitators, including access and attitudes, towards vaccination during pregnancy among women of ethnic minorities with low maternal vaccination rates and healthcare workers in Hackney, London.
Data collection will consist of semi-structured interviews, focus groups and video-taping consultations between pregnant women and their midwives, nurses and doctors.
The interviews will be conducted in Hackney, London, as this borough has one of the lowest uptake rates of both the influenza vaccine (32.6%) and pertussis vaccine (30.1%), provided in pregnancy in England and is the sixth most diverse area in London. Pregnant women and women who have given birth in the past six months, from all ethnic groups in Hackney will be given the opportunity to participate in this study, in order to explore how culture, migration and their relationship with the healthcare system affects their decision whether or not to vaccinate.
Recommendations will be made regarding policies and further research to maximise vaccination uptake among pregnant women of certain ethnicities.
Funding for materials to conduct my fieldwork, such as video recorders, a dictaphone, leaflets, vouchers, translators and transcribers for the interviews will be provided by the NIHR. I will have an allowance of £5000 and this will be claimed through the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) of the NIHR. It is expected that the total cost of conducting the field work will be under £750.REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/2189
Date of REC Opinion
22 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion