Factors that influence parents’ and informal caregivers’ views and practices regarding routine childhood vaccination: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Staff inolved: Sara Cooper, Bey-Marri Schmidt, Evanson Z Sambala, Alison Swartz, Christopher J Colvin, Natalie Leon, Charles S Wiysonge

Childhood vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent serious illnesses and deaths in children. However, worldwide, many children do not receive all recommended vaccinations, for several potential reasons. Vaccines might be unavailable, or parents may experience difficulties in accessing vaccination services; for instance, because of poor quality health services, distance from a health facility, or lack of money. Some parents may not accept available vaccines and vaccination services.

Our understanding of what influences parents’ views and practices around childhood vaccination, and why some parents may not accept vaccines for their children, is still limited.

This synthesis links to Cochrane Reviews of the effectiveness of interventions to improve coverage or uptake of childhood vaccination.