Childhood vaccination insights – qualitative interviews

Parent interviews on reasons for partial childhood vaccination – key findings summary

A recent national survey on access and acceptance barriers to childhood vaccination – the first of its kind from the National Vaccination Insights project – found that 4.9% of surveyed parents with children aged under 5 years reported that their child was partially vaccinated. The survey identified barriers relating to vaccine access and acceptance but did not explore how and why these barriers make it difficult for parents to vaccinate their child on time. 

In-depth interviews are uniquely positioned to help answer these questions, and that is why the researchers followed up the national survey with a small-scale, qualitative study with parents from across Australia in November 2024.

The researchers interviewed 13 Australian parents and carers of children under 5 years of age who reported experiencing difficulties that resulted in the partial or delayed vaccination of their child. The parents who participated in the interviews represented diversity in terms of gender, occupation, jurisdiction (state/territory) and geographic remoteness (city/remote and rural).

Explore the key findings

What did the team analyse?

The researchers thematically analysed parents’ responses to questions about those access and acceptance barriers the national survey found to be significantly associated with parents of partially vaccinated children. 

About the project