Journal Content Recommandation
01
Multiple-component interventions to increase rotavirus vaccine uptake in children: a randomised controlled trial
This article was published in The Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific, and aims to randomized controlled trial to examine whether a simple intervention package can increase rotavirus vaccine uptake in Hong Kong children. Rotavirus vaccine has not been included in the Hong Kong Government’s Childhood Immunisation Programme.
Control subjects received public rotavirus information. Subjects in intervention group 1 additionally received key rotavirus information with a hyperlink to a webpage showing private clinics providing rotavirus vaccines, guidance on searching the clinics, and vaccination reminders. Subjects in intervention group 2 received the same intervention as group 1, plus tokens to receive free rotavirus vaccines at specific health centers.
As result, compared to the control group, vaccination rates in Intervention Group 1 increased by 1.17 times (95% CI = 0.99–1.38) or 8 percentage points, while Intervention Group 2 saw an increase of 1.7 times (95% CI = 1.49–1.97) or 33 percentage points. The provision of free vaccines (Intervention Group 2 vs. Intervention Group 1) significantly eliminated economic barriers, increasing vaccination rates by 1.46 times (95% CI = 1.29–1.66), or 25 percentage points.
A multiple-component intervention package, particularly a free vaccine, could increase the uptake of rotavirus vaccines in Hong Kong children. The impact of the intervention package was greatest in low-income families, emphasizing the importance of removing financial barriers to vaccination to promote equity. Incorporating the rotavirus vaccine into the routine CIP could further protect more young children from rotavirus infection and improve equity.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101153
02
Opinion Leadership and Sharing Positive and Negative Information About Vaccines on Social Media: A Mixed-Methods Approach
The article is published in the Journal of Health Communication. The propagation of negative sentiments about vaccines can brew negativity toward vaccination as well as sabotage public health efforts. By contrast, the dissemination of facts about vaccination and its benefits can increase awareness about vaccination, improve vaccination rates, and nurture support for public health efforts to prevent and control epidemic-prone diseases. This study aims to explore the role of opinion leaders in sharing both positive and negative vaccine information through a mixed-methods approach and to reveal the influencing mechanisms of various dimensions of opinion leader characteristics in the process of information dissemination.
The study sought to combine sociometric techniques (i.e., in Study 1) and self-report measures (i.e., in Study 2.). In Study 1, collected data from Baby Kingdom, the largest online forum for parents and expectant parents in Hong Kong. Using social network analysis methods, the study quantifies three dimensions of opinion leadership: connectivity, “maven” expertise, and persuasiveness. Connectivity refers to an individual’s ability to link local social networks, enabling them to connect with different groups. “Maven” expertise describes an individual’s willingness to provide specialized knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. Persuasiveness refers to a person’s ability to express opinions, effectively engage in debates, and influence others. The study also incorporates natural language processing techniques to analyze the sentiment of information shared by users on the platform, distinguishing the characteristics of positive and negative information dissemination. In the second part, a survey was conducted with 587 women of childbearing age in Hong Kong to collect self-assessment data. This data was used to further quantify their opinion leadership traits and measure the relationship between these traits and their intentions to share vaccine-related positive or negative information on social media.
The study results show significant differences in the roles opinion leaders play in the dissemination of vaccine information. When sharing positive information, connectivity and expertise had a significant positive impact on information dissemination, while persuasiveness played a relatively less prominent role. However, when disseminating negative information, connectivity, expertise, and persuasiveness all had significant effects, with persuasiveness being particularly critical in spreading negative information. Moreover, findings from both parts of the study indicate that the dissemination of negative information generally requires opinion leaders to possess higher traits, including stronger connectivity, greater expertise, and more influential persuasiveness, which differs notably from the requirements for spreading positive information.
This study reveals the important role of different dimensions of opinion leader traits in the dissemination of vaccine information and highlights the critical role of persuasiveness in spreading negative information. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for optimizing health information dissemination strategies on social media. Public health agencies should strengthen collaboration with opinion leaders by enhancing their scientific understanding of vaccines and communication skills, thereby reducing the spread of negative information while promoting the dissemination of positive messages.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2024.2426810
03
Investigation and analysis on knowledge, attitude and behavior about adult vaccination of the residents in Shandong Province
This article published in the Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine, aimed to understand the knowledge, attitude and behavior of adult residents on influenza, pneumococcus, human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes zoster (HZ), COVID-19, hepatitis B and rabies vaccination in Shandong Province among 2754 residents from communities across 12 counties. The study wad conducted from August to September 2022.
The results showed that respondents scored highest in their knowledge about the ability of adult vaccines to prevent diseases, while their understanding of managing adverse reactions was the lowest. The average agreement scores regarding the effectiveness of adult vaccines in preventing diseases and the necessity of vaccination were both above 3.6. In recent two years, 52.11% of the population had been vaccinated with other vaccines in addition to the COVID-19 vaccine and rabies vaccine, and 45.44% of the population felt it was necessary to be vaccinated through media publicity. Women, age growth, high education level, and high-income level were the promoting factors for adopting vaccination behavior.
In conclusion, adult residents in Shandong Province have a basic understanding and supportive attitude towards vaccination, but the vaccination behavior rate is still relatively low, with significant differences in sex, age, education level, and income level. It is necessary to further increase efforts in the breadth and depth of adult vaccination promotion and education, as well as promotion strategies targeting different populations.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126570
04
Beyond health: exploring women’s socio-cultural motivations for HPV vaccination
This article was published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being and aims to analyses women’s autonomous motivation for HPV vaccination from a sociocultural perspective to gain insight into the generation of women’s health decisions.
This study conducted in-depth interviews with 19 women at their peak age (19-24) of infection who had been vaccinated against HPV to examine the socio-cultural factors that drove them to receive HPV vaccination. The study identified four main aspects of women’s intrinsic motivation to receive the HPV vaccine. First, vaccination serves as a way for women to demonstrate personal independence, with many participants viewing it as a symbol of autonomous decision-making. Second, it reflects women’s emphasis on reproductive autonomy, as receiving the HPV vaccine is seen as an active step to protect their reproductive health. Third, women acknowledged their own sexual health needs, considering HPV vaccination an important measure to safeguard sexual health, enabling them to address sexual health issues more openly. Lastly, vaccination also becomes a means for women to showcase their health literacy, financial capacity, and social support. Through vaccination, participants demonstrated their agency in health decision-making and their ability to mobilize resources.
Based on these findings, future vaccine promotion strategies should focus more on emphasizing the significance of HPV vaccination for women’s autonomy. Efforts should also be made to eliminate misconceptions linking the HPV vaccine with sexual stigma, reduce the financial burden of vaccination, and provide a more inclusive and equitable vaccination environment for women. These measures will help increase vaccination rates and further advance women’s health rights.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2424494
05
Improved Methods for Vaccine Effectiveness Studies
This article, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, explores the critical role of vaccine effectiveness (VE) studies in evaluating the public health impact of vaccination programs and optimizing resource allocation. In recent years, the test-negative design (TND) has been widely adopted for evaluating the effectiveness of various pathogen vaccines, including SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccines, due to its streamlined implementation process and cost-effectiveness. This article focuses on improving the TND methodology to enhance the accuracy and reliability of such studies.
The test-negative design (TND) distinguishes between patients with positive pathogen test results (cases) and those with negative results (controls) within a population seeking care for specific symptoms. This approach reduces selection bias and enhances the comparability of study subjects. The article reviews the latest applications of TND, analyzing its methodological challenges and directions for improvement.
First, the standardization of case definitions is considered critical. Strict clinical criteria effectively control bias and ensure consistency in symptom presentation and healthcare-seeking behaviors among study participants. Second, the study suggests incorporating negative control variables and adjusting for vaccination and infection history to further refine vaccine effectiveness estimates. Additionally, the use of retrospective data may impact study validity, highlighting the need for standardized and comprehensive data sources.
The findings indicate that consistency in symptom definitions and diagnostic accuracy is essential for avoiding outcome bias. Simultaneously, adjusting for covariates related to vaccination behaviors and infection history significantly improves the precision of vaccine effectiveness estimates. The authors also emphasize the value of applying experiences gained during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to other vaccine research. These lessons provide valuable insights for optimizing study design and result analysis, offering a scientific basis for vaccine promotion and public health policymaking.
*Vaccine effectiveness is a measure of how well vaccines work in the real world. The efficacy seen in clinical trials applies to specific outcomes in a clinical trial. Effectiveness is measured by observing how well the vaccines work to protect communities as a whole. (Source: www.who.int)
https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiae510
Content Editor: Xiaotong Yang
Page Editor: Ziqi Liu
