Torracinta, L.; Tanner, R.; Vanderslott, S. MMR Vaccine Attitude and Uptake Research in the United Kingdom: A Critical Review. Vaccines2021, 9, 402.
Torracinta, L.; Tanner, R.; Vanderslott, S. MMR Vaccine Attitude and Uptake Research in the United Kingdom: A Critical Review. Vaccines 2021, 9, 402.
Torracinta, L.; Tanner, R.; Vanderslott, S. MMR Vaccine Attitude and Uptake Research in the United Kingdom: A Critical Review. Vaccines2021, 9, 402.
Torracinta, L.; Tanner, R.; Vanderslott, S. MMR Vaccine Attitude and Uptake Research in the United Kingdom: A Critical Review. Vaccines 2021, 9, 402.
Abstract
This review critically assesses the body of research about Measles-Mumps-and-Rubella (MMR) vaccine attitudes and uptake in the United Kingdom (UK) over the past 10 years. We searched PubMed and Scopus, with terms aimed at capturing relevant literature on attitudes, uptake, decision-making, and beliefs about the MMR vaccine. Two researchers screened for abstract eligibility and after de-duplication 934 studies were selected. After screening, 40 references were included for full-text review and thematic synthesis by three researchers. We were interested in the methodologies employed, and grouped findings by whether studies concerned: (1) Uptake and Demographics; (2) Beliefs and Attitudes; (3) Healthcare Worker Focus; (4) Experimental and Psychometric Intervention; (5) Mixed Methods. We identified group and individual level determinants for attitudes, operating directly and indirectly, that influence vaccine uptake. We found that access issues, often ignored within the public “anti-vax” debate, remain highly pertinent. Finally, a consistent theme was the effect of misinformation and lack of knowledge or trust in healthcare, often stemming from the Wakefield controversy. Future COVID-19 immunisation campaigns for children should consider both access and attitudinal aspects of vaccination, and incorporate a range of methodologies to assess progress, taking into account socio-economic variables and the needs of disadvantaged groups.
Keywords
MMR; vaccine hesitancy; critical review; Wakefield; child immunisation; United Kingdom
Subject
Business, Economics and Management, Accounting and Taxation
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
