Hesitação vacinal, letramento em saúde e digital de cuidadores de pré-escolares: um estudo misto

Abstract

Introduction: Vaccination prevents diseases, promotes child development, and has a significant economic impact. However, vaccine hesitancy, which is a historical and complex phenomenon, has affected confidence in vaccines, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the reasons behind this hesitancy, as well as the associated factors, to develop effective strategies to increase vaccine uptake. Objective: To analyze vaccine hesitancy among caregivers of preschool children and its associations with sociodemographic factors and health and digital literacy. Method: Mixed methods study, with convergent parallel design. The study included 250 caregivers of children enrolled in the Municipal Education Centers of João Pessoa, Paraíba. Data collection took place from April 2023 to June 2024 in two stages: the first stage, with the application of a quantitative instrument, and the second, a focus group with caregivers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, and inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Data from the mixed study were interpreted in light of the Theory of Planned Behavior. The project to which the study is linked was approved by the Ethics Committee under opinion no. 5,810,272. Results: Among the hesitant individuals, the majority were mothers, aged 18 to 25 years, single, and with 10 to 12 years of education. Vaccine hesitancy showed a statistically significant association with sociodemographic factors such as marital status, religion, and education; in addition to the social vulnerability variable, hesitant caregivers predominated at habitual risk for social vulnerability. Hesitant caregivers are associated with low health and digital literacy. Health literacy and digital health literacy have a directly proportional association. Quantitative and qualitative data were convergent. Final considerations: Hesitancy is a multifaceted phenomenon, therefore, an integrated approach that considers social, educational, belief and attitude dimensions is crucial in formulating health policies aimed at childhood vaccination, thus aiming to increase acceptance and vaccination coverage.