Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana
Background The increasing incidence of novel vaccine-preventable diseases, such as COVID-19, has led to an increase in the development of vaccines globally. Vaccine hesitancy has risen due to fears of vaccines causing harm. African health systems have generally relied on spontaneous reporting of adv...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001464.full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850081514238246912 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniel Weibel Abraham Oduro Miriam Sturkenboom Nana Akosua Ansah Samuel Tomilola Oladokun Enyonam Duah Patrick Ansah Samuel Tamti Chatio Marieke Hollestelle |
| author_facet | Daniel Weibel Abraham Oduro Miriam Sturkenboom Nana Akosua Ansah Samuel Tomilola Oladokun Enyonam Duah Patrick Ansah Samuel Tamti Chatio Marieke Hollestelle |
| author_sort | Daniel Weibel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The increasing incidence of novel vaccine-preventable diseases, such as COVID-19, has led to an increase in the development of vaccines globally. Vaccine hesitancy has risen due to fears of vaccines causing harm. African health systems have generally relied on spontaneous reporting of adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) to monitor vaccine safety.Objectives This study explored the views of healthcare professionals and managers regarding barriers and strategies to improve AEFI reporting in northern Ghana.Methods This study used a qualitative research design where in-depth interviews were conducted with health professionals and managers in five administrative regions in northern Ghana between March and August 2021. The purposive sampling method was used to select districts and participants. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded into themes using QSR NVivo V.12 software before thematic content analysis.Results The study found that lack of feedback is the main regulatory-level factor affecting reporting adverse events. Health system-level factors, such as limited knowledge of reporting AEFIs, a lack of training, difficulties in using electronic application software to complete AEFI forms, and fear of punishment, significantly affect AEFI reporting. At the patient/community level, the main factors affecting AEFI reporting are the distance to health facilities and transportation costs. However, participants suggested continuous AEFI education, sensitisation of health workers and patients, timely feedback, and effective stakeholder collaboration among front-line health workers, health managers, and the national pharmacovigilance authority could improve AEFI reporting in Ghana.Conclusions Reporting of AEFIs contributes to improving vaccine safety, surveillance systems and prompt case management. However, the study identified multiple key factors at the regulatory, health system, and patient levels affecting AEFI reporting. Thus, improvements in line with these suggestions, including effective stakeholder engagement, are necessary to increase AEFI reporting. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7e2e6b587bb40e2976e8db4fad34906 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2753-4294 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7e2e6b587bb40e2976e8db4fad349062025-08-20T02:44:42ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Public Health2753-42942025-04-013110.1136/bmjph-2024-001464Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern GhanaDaniel Weibel0Abraham Oduro1Miriam Sturkenboom2Nana Akosua Ansah3Samuel Tomilola Oladokun4Enyonam Duah5Patrick Ansah6Samuel Tamti Chatio7Marieke Hollestelle8UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht, NetherlandsResearch and Development Division, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghanaassociate professorNavrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, GhanaNavrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, GhanaNavrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, GhanaNavrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, GhanaNavrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, GhanaUMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht, NetherlandsBackground The increasing incidence of novel vaccine-preventable diseases, such as COVID-19, has led to an increase in the development of vaccines globally. Vaccine hesitancy has risen due to fears of vaccines causing harm. African health systems have generally relied on spontaneous reporting of adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) to monitor vaccine safety.Objectives This study explored the views of healthcare professionals and managers regarding barriers and strategies to improve AEFI reporting in northern Ghana.Methods This study used a qualitative research design where in-depth interviews were conducted with health professionals and managers in five administrative regions in northern Ghana between March and August 2021. The purposive sampling method was used to select districts and participants. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded into themes using QSR NVivo V.12 software before thematic content analysis.Results The study found that lack of feedback is the main regulatory-level factor affecting reporting adverse events. Health system-level factors, such as limited knowledge of reporting AEFIs, a lack of training, difficulties in using electronic application software to complete AEFI forms, and fear of punishment, significantly affect AEFI reporting. At the patient/community level, the main factors affecting AEFI reporting are the distance to health facilities and transportation costs. However, participants suggested continuous AEFI education, sensitisation of health workers and patients, timely feedback, and effective stakeholder collaboration among front-line health workers, health managers, and the national pharmacovigilance authority could improve AEFI reporting in Ghana.Conclusions Reporting of AEFIs contributes to improving vaccine safety, surveillance systems and prompt case management. However, the study identified multiple key factors at the regulatory, health system, and patient levels affecting AEFI reporting. Thus, improvements in line with these suggestions, including effective stakeholder engagement, are necessary to increase AEFI reporting.https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001464.full |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Weibel Abraham Oduro Miriam Sturkenboom Nana Akosua Ansah Samuel Tomilola Oladokun Enyonam Duah Patrick Ansah Samuel Tamti Chatio Marieke Hollestelle Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana BMJ Public Health |
| title | Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana |
| title_full | Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana |
| title_short | Barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting: views from health workers and managers in Northern Ghana |
| title_sort | barriers and strategies to improve vaccine adverse events reporting views from health workers and managers in northern ghana |
| url | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001464.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielweibel barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT abrahamoduro barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT miriamsturkenboom barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT nanaakosuaansah barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT samueltomilolaoladokun barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT enyonamduah barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT patrickansah barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT samueltamtichatio barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana AT mariekehollestelle barriersandstrategiestoimprovevaccineadverseeventsreportingviewsfromhealthworkersandmanagersinnorthernghana |