Disparities in parental awareness of children’s seasonal influenza vaccination recommendations and influencers of vaccination

ObjectiveTo determine parental awareness of influenza vaccination recommendations for children and explore associations with awareness.DesignCross-sectional survey.Setting/participantsSouth Australian parents with a telephone listing in the Electronic White Pages were randomly selected.MethodsParticipants were interviewed using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) during May–July 2016. Univariable and multivariable analyses explored characteristics associated with awareness; with the survey data weighted to reflect the population of SA and the probability of selection within a household.ResultsOf 539 parents, 33% were aware of the recommendation that all children (ConclusionsParental awareness of children’s influenza vaccine recommendations is low. Targeted communication strategies and resources are required to establish broader community awareness of recommendations. Healthcare provider endorsement of the vaccine remains key and health care professionals, particularly GPs and paediatric specialists should be encouraged to discuss influenza vaccine with parents at every opportunity. Many parents have vaccine concerns and addressing concerns across the spectrum of hesitancy is crucial.