UK healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards the introduction of varicella vaccine into the routine childhood vaccination schedule and their preferences for administration

Sherman, Susan M.; Allerton-Price, Charlotte; Lingley-Heath, Nicola; Lai, Jasmine; Bedford, Helen

Abstract

Background
Varicella (chickenpox) is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Although typically mild, varicella can cause complications leading to severe illness and even death. Safe and effective varicella vaccines are available. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has reviewed the evidence and recommended the introduction of varicella vaccine into the UK’s routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Objectives
To explore UK healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) knowledge and attitudes towards varicella vaccination, its introduction to the UK routine childhood immunisation schedule, and their preferences for how it should be delivered.

Design
We conducted an online cross-sectional survey exploring HCPs’ attitudes towards varicella, varicella vaccine, and their preferences for delivery of the vaccine between August and September 2022 prior to the recommendation that varicella vaccine should be introduced.

Participants
91 HCPs working in the UK (81 % nurses/health visitors, 9 % doctors, 10 % researcher/other, mean age 48.7 years).

Results
All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that vaccines are important for a child’s health. However, only 58% agreed or strongly agreed that chicken pox was a disease serious enough to warrant vaccination. Gaps in knowledge about varicella were revealed: 21.0% of respondents disagreed or were unsure that chickenpox can cause serious complications, while 41.8% were unsure or did not believe chickenpox was serious enough to vaccinate against. After receiving some basic information about chickenpox and the vaccine, almost half of the HCPs (47.3%) in our survey would prefer to administer the varicella vaccine combined with MMR.

Conclusions
Given the positive influence of HCPs on parents’ decisions to vaccinate their children, it is important to understand HCPs’ views regarding the introduction of varicella vaccine into the routine schedule. Our findings highlighted areas for training and HCPs’ preferences which will have implications for policy and practice when the vaccine is introduced.

Citation

Sherman, S. M., Allerton-Price, C., Lingley-Heath, N., Lai, J., & Bedford, H. (2024). UK healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards the introduction of varicella vaccine into the routine childhood vaccination schedule and their preferences for administration. Vaccine, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.002

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 12, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-03
• Deposit Date: Mar 19, 2024
• Journal: Vaccine
• Print ISSN: 0264-410X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.002
• Keywords: Infectious Diseases; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health; General Veterinary; General Immunology and Microbiology; Molecular Medicine
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: UK healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards the introduction of varicella vaccine into the routine childhood vaccination schedule and their preferences for administration; Journal Title: Vaccine; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.002; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.