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Review
. 2021 Sep 30:26:1697.
doi: 10.4102/hsag.v26i0.1697. eCollection 2021.

Predictors of parents' infant vaccination decisions: A concept derivation

Eloïse Botha  1 , Daleen van der Merwe  1 , Rosemary J Burnett  2 , Petra Bester  1
Affiliations
Review

Predictors of parents' infant vaccination decisions: A concept derivation

Eloïse Botha et al. Health SA. .

Abstract

The myths surrounding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have prompted scientists to refocus their attention on vaccine hesitancy, which is fuelled by the spread of misinformation. The scientific investigation of behavioural concepts relating to vaccine hesitancy can be enhanced by the examination of behavioural concepts from the field of consumer sciences. South African consumer scientists study personal decisions that contribute to individuals' well-being, including the decisions to prevent ill health. Current data on the predictors of vaccination decisions do not incorporate consumer science constructs imperative in decision-making, which could provide fresh insights in addressing vaccine hesitancy. This study aimed to investigate and illustrate the analogy between concepts of the Health Belief Model (HBM) as parent model, and consumer behaviour that could affect parents' infant vaccination decisions, by applying a concept derivation approach. The HBM was analysed within the context of public health, including literature from consumers' vaccination decisions, medical decisions, paediatrics, vaccinology, virology and nursing. Through a qualitative, theory derivation strategy, six main concepts of the HBM were redefined to consumer sciences, using four iterative concept derivation steps. Concept derivation resulted in consumer behaviour concepts that could be possible predictors of parents' infant vaccination decisions, including consumers' values; risk perception; consideration of immediate and future consequences; self-efficacy; cues to action; demographics; personal information and knowledge. These predictors could be a starting point for a context- and product-specific consumer primary preventive healthcare decisions model. Our findings highlight the opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in investigating consumer primary healthcare-related behaviour.

Contribution: This study introduced interfaces between consumer science and health science literature. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, a better understanding of influences to promote primary preventive healthcare can be achieved.

Keywords: Health Belief Model (HBM); consumer decisions; consumer health; infant vaccination; primary preventive healthcare; vaccine hesitancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Health belief model applied to consumers and a vaccination-preventable disease
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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