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Acceptability of financial incentives or quasi-mandatory schemes to increase uptake of immunisations in preschool children in the United Kingdom: Qualitative study with parents and service delivery staff.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Type

Article

Change log

Authors

McNaughton, Rebekah Jayne 
Shucksmith, Janet 

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Since the 1990 s strenuous attempts have been made to rebuild trust in childhood immunisations. This study aimed to understand if financial incentives (FI) or quasi-mandatory schemes (QMS), e.g. mandating immunisations for entry to universal services such as day care or school, might be acceptable interventions to increase immunisations uptake for preschool children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Parents and carers of preschool children (n=91); health and other professionals (n=18); and those responsible for developing and commissioning immunisation services (n=6) took part in the study. Qualitative methods were employed to explore the acceptability of FI/QMS with stakeholders. Framework analysis was used to develop a coding framework that was applied to the whole dataset. Interpretations of the emergent themes were verified between researchers and presented to the project's Parent Reference Group to ensure coherence and relevance. RESULTS: (1) FI: parents and professionals felt introducing FI was inappropriate. It was acknowledged FI may encourage families living in disadvantage to prioritise immunisation, but unintended consequences could outweigh any advantage. FI essentially changes behaviour into a cash transaction which many equated to bribery that could inadvertently create inequalities. (2) QMS: parents and professionals highlighted the positives of introducing QMS, stating it felt natural, fair and less likely to create inequality. Despite QMS' potential to positively impact on uptake there were concerns about the implementation and workability of such schemes. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: FI for preschool immunisation may not be acceptable, within a UK context. Introducing FI could have detrimental effects on uptake if it were associated with bribery and coercion. Quasi-mandatory schemes, mandating immunisation for universal service entry, was the most acceptable option and could contribute to the normalising of immunisation. Future work would be needed to assess how this could be successfully implemented and if it did indeed increase uptake.

Description

Keywords

Childhood immunisation, Financial incentives, Quasi-mandatory schemes, Child, Preschool, Health Personnel, Health Promotion, Humans, Mandatory Programs, Motivation, Parents, Qualitative Research, Reward, United Kingdom, Vaccination

Journal Title

Vaccine

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0264-410X
1873-2518

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/K023187/1)
Department of Health (via Newcastle University) (BH113222)
Wellcome Trust (087636/Z/08/Z)
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/G007462/1)
Medical Research Council (MR/K02325X/1)
NIHR Evaluation Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (11/97/01)
NIHR Academy (CDF-2011-04-001)
This work was funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment. At the time this work was conducted, J.A. was funded in part by Fuse: the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. She is now funded by the Centre for Diet & Activity Research (CEDAR). Both Fuse and CEDAR are UK Clinical Research Collaboration Public Health Research Centres of Excellence. Funding for Fuse and CEDAR from the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged.