“We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia

Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infection with a higher burden in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children. We conducted a pilot qualitative study identifying disease knowledge and willingness to immunise following the changing immunisat...

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Main Authors: Samantha J. Carlson, Charlie Holland, Valerie Swift, Catherine Hughes, Peter Richmond, Hannah C. Moore
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S132602002400092X
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author Samantha J. Carlson
Charlie Holland
Valerie Swift
Catherine Hughes
Peter Richmond
Hannah C. Moore
author_facet Samantha J. Carlson
Charlie Holland
Valerie Swift
Catherine Hughes
Peter Richmond
Hannah C. Moore
author_sort Samantha J. Carlson
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infection with a higher burden in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children. We conducted a pilot qualitative study identifying disease knowledge and willingness to immunise following the changing immunisation landscape for infant RSV in 2024. Methods: Yarning groups were held with a convenience sample of parents/carers of Aboriginal children attending playgroup at a metropolitan Aboriginal Health Service in Western Australia. Data collected in the form of notes were thematically analysed. Results: We heard from nine parents/carers over two yarns in March/April 2024. Level of RSV awareness largely depended on lived experience of an RSV infection with some participants only first hearing of RSV following announcement of the immunisation program. Most participants were willing to accept immunisation. There was a strong preference for information on disease and immunisation safety coming from a ‘trusted Aboriginal voice’, but the level of information varied. Conclusions: This pilot study provides initial insights into community views of RSV disease and immunisation. More RSV disease awareness is needed in the Indigenous community. Implications for Public Health: These findings will help inform current and future RSV immunisation programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
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publishDate 2025-02-01
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series Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
spelling doaj-art-b537bfd86bb1490399bf8fcfde0552592025-08-20T02:14:43ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02002025-02-0149110021610.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100216“We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western AustraliaSamantha J. Carlson0Charlie Holland1Valerie Swift2Catherine Hughes3Peter Richmond4Hannah C. Moore5Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaImmunisation Foundation of Australia, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Correspondence to: Hannah Moore, The Kids Research Institute Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, WA 6872, Australia; Tel.: + 61 409 100 007Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infection with a higher burden in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children. We conducted a pilot qualitative study identifying disease knowledge and willingness to immunise following the changing immunisation landscape for infant RSV in 2024. Methods: Yarning groups were held with a convenience sample of parents/carers of Aboriginal children attending playgroup at a metropolitan Aboriginal Health Service in Western Australia. Data collected in the form of notes were thematically analysed. Results: We heard from nine parents/carers over two yarns in March/April 2024. Level of RSV awareness largely depended on lived experience of an RSV infection with some participants only first hearing of RSV following announcement of the immunisation program. Most participants were willing to accept immunisation. There was a strong preference for information on disease and immunisation safety coming from a ‘trusted Aboriginal voice’, but the level of information varied. Conclusions: This pilot study provides initial insights into community views of RSV disease and immunisation. More RSV disease awareness is needed in the Indigenous community. Implications for Public Health: These findings will help inform current and future RSV immunisation programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S132602002400092XRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV)aboriginalimmunisationcommunity attitudes
spellingShingle Samantha J. Carlson
Charlie Holland
Valerie Swift
Catherine Hughes
Peter Richmond
Hannah C. Moore
“We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
aboriginal
immunisation
community attitudes
title “We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia
title_full “We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia
title_fullStr “We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia
title_full_unstemmed “We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia
title_short “We’ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia
title_sort we ve wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of aboriginal children in perth western australia
topic Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
aboriginal
immunisation
community attitudes
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S132602002400092X
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