Qualitative interviews – key findings

This page summarises the findings from in-depth interviews of 13 parents and carers of children under 5 years of age who reported barriers to vaccination that resulted in the partial or delayed vaccination of their child.

• Access barriers
• Acceptance barriers

Access barriers

Overall, parents reported experiencing multiple access barriers (i.e. practical difficulties) related to vaccination appointment availability and accessibility, and the associated costs. Parents reported wanting to prioritise childhood vaccination, but practical difficulties prevented many from doing so.
 

Difficulty getting a vaccination appointment

In the survey

More parents of partially vaccinated children reported that it was not easy to get an appointment when their child’s vaccination was due compared with parents of up-to-date children (i.e. children who have received all vaccines recommended for their age). 

In the interviews

• Across all jurisdictions, parents reported that it was difficult to get a vaccination appointment, particularly outside of working hours.
   
• Some parents reported that the clinic cancelled appointments at the last minute due to unavailability of vaccinating staff or vaccines.
   

‘The clinics here were fully booked and I did have trouble actually getting in. The town where I live at the moment, there’s actually a shortage of doctors. It’s usually a very long wait to get into the doctors to get any appointments at all’ 

– Father, remote and rural Victoria

Difficulty affording costs of vaccination 

In the survey

More parents of partially vaccinated children reported cost as a barrier to vaccination compared with parents of up-to-date children. Survey respondents also indicated that experiencing financial stress and living in metropolitan areas had negative impacts on the affordability of childhood vaccination.

In the interviews

• Across all jurisdictions, parents reported that they had difficulty finding a bulk-billing GP and were often charged consultation fees when presenting for childhood vaccination. Few jurisdictions offered childhood vaccinations free of charge through council clinics.
   
• Vaccination costs other than consultation fees included time off work and travel costs, such as fuel for the car and bus fare.
   
• Parents who were migrants or from lower-income households (such as single-income earners or casual workers), or whose children had complex health needs, reported that they experienced financial stress and could not afford vaccination costs.
   
• Parents who were recommended meningococcal B vaccination* for their child reported financial and moral distress resulting from wanting to protect their child against the disease.

* While recommended more broadly, meningococcal B vaccine is only free under the National Immunisation Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children less than 2 years of age and people aged 2 months and older with certain medical conditions. For other individuals, that vaccination costs between $70 and $100 per dose for a 2–3 dose course. 
 

‘It’s usually between 40 minutes and two hours in the waiting room … Massive backlog. Being a doctor that bulk bills, it fills up very fast’

– Mother, remote and rural Tasmania

‘We’re both income earners, but just the way pricing is at the moment, everything’s so expensive. I believe that it’s quite a gap, you pay $60 to $100 to see them [GPs] and then you only get $30 back. We definitely could not afford to see a GP for any reason if we had to pay’ 

– Mother, remote and rural Victoria

Difficulty prioritising vaccination over other things  

In the survey

More parents of partially vaccinated children reported that they did not or could not prioritise their child’s vaccination appointments over other things compared with parents of up-to-date children. 

In the interviews

• Despite wanting to prioritise childhood vaccination, some parents reported that they were not able to due to multiple practical barriers (described above).
   
• Some first-time parents described how the experiences of inaccessible, inflexible childhood vaccination have worsened their ‘mental load’ as a new parent.
   

‘As much as I thought vaccination was very important … I felt bad saying, but it’s true. I’ve given up entirely. I will get what I’ll get in its time and if it’s not directly vital for my kid, I’m not going to fight for it anymore’

– Mother, city, Northern Territory

Acceptance barriers

Overall, parents reported that they were supportive of childhood vaccination. However, the experience of complex practical barriers (described above) and negative experiences with the health and immunisation system (described below) over time have contributed to some parents developing hesitancy towards vaccinating their child.
 

Belief that vaccination may not be safe for the child 

In the survey

More parents of partially vaccinated children reported that they do not believe vaccines are safe for their child compared with parents of up-to-date children.

In the interviews

• Across all jurisdictions, parents reported that both limited time and the perception that providers lacked knowledge of vaccinations prevented them from raising questions about vaccine safety or other concerns during appointments.
   
• Parents reported that they did not receive written resources or links guiding them where to find more information about vaccinations.
   
• Migrant parents with limited English proficiency reported a lack of vaccination resources available in their language, which contributed to them seeking support and information among peer groups who may not have correct vaccination information.
   

‘I felt like there was no time [during the appointment]. It sort of felt like, “Get in, get them done”’ 

– Mother, city, Northern Territory

Not trusting information about vaccines from vaccination providers 

In the survey

More parents of partially vaccinated children reported that they did not trust the information they received about vaccines from their child’s doctor or a nurse compared with parents of up-to-date children.

In the interviews

• Some parents described developing a mistrust towards vaccination providers because of negative experiences when discussing vaccinations with providers, including the perception that providers: 
  • dismissed parents’ concerns about their child’s health and vaccinations
  • lacked sufficient knowledge about vaccinations
  • gave parents information about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic that turned out to be exaggerated or incorrect.
     
• Similarly, some parents described developing a mistrust towards the medical system – with a flow-on effect to childhood vaccination – due to a perceived lack of support for new parents during and after birth, including: 
  • birth trauma
  • difficulties with breastfeeding
  • general ‘mum and bub’ wellbeing
  • dismissal of parents’ concerns leading to the child’s late diagnosis of a birth defect.
     

‘After the experience you have as a mum and your disappointments in the health system, that does trigger or trickle down into your thoughts about, “Well, I don’t want to put my child through something like that”’ 

– Mother, city, NSW

A publication from the interviews will be available in 2025.

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