Global caregiver perspectives on COVID-19 immunization in childhood cancer: A qualitative study

Frontiers in Public Health

Public Health

Jessica Bate¹  Erica C. Kaye²  Allison Silverstein³  Julia M. Gumy⁴ 

[1] Department of Paediatric Oncology, Southampton Children's Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom;Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States;Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States;Division of Pediatric Palliative Care, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States;School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom;

关键词: pediatric oncology;    SARS-CoV-2;    immunization;    global health;    public health;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2023.1004263

 received in 2022-07-27, accepted in 2023-02-06,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 has led to an unprecedented pandemic where vulnerable populations, such as those with childhood cancer, face increased risk of morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 vaccines are a critical intervention to control the pandemic and ensure patient safety. This study explores global caregiver's perspectives related to COVID-19 immunization in the context of pediatric cancer management.MethodsA mixed methods survey was developed based on consensus questions with iterative feedback from global medical professional and caregiver groups and distributed globally to caregivers of childhood cancer via electronic and paper routes. We present qualitative findings through inductive content analysis of caregiver free-text responses.ResultsA total of 184 participants provided qualitative responses, 29.3% of total survey respondents, with a total of 271 codes applied. Codes focused on themes related to safety and effectiveness (n = 95, 35.1%), logistics (n = 69, 25.5%), statements supporting or opposing vaccination (n = 55, 20.3%), and statements discussing the limited availability of information (n = 31, 11.4%). Within the theme of safety and effectiveness, safety itself was the most commonly used code (n = 66, 24.4% of total segments and 69.5% of safety and effectiveness codes), followed by risks versus benefits (n = 18, 18.9% of safety and effectiveness codes) and efficacy (n = 11, 11.6%).DiscussionThis study provides insights to guide healthcare professionals and caregiver peers in supporting families during the complex decision-making process for COVID-19 vaccination. These findings highlight the multidimensionality of concerns and considerations of caregivers of children with cancer regarding COVID-19 vaccination and suggest that certain perspectives transcend borders and cultures.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Silverstein, Gumy, Bate and Kaye.