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Table 3 Factors influencing the decision to immunise drawing on the Health Belief Model, subjective perception risk and risky decision-making theories

From: Making sense of perceptions of risk of diseases and vaccinations: a qualitative study combining models of health beliefs, decision-making and risk perception

  Explanatory theories Component of theory
Factors prompting immunisation
Unfamiliarity of disease Health Belief Model perceived severity
  Subjective perception of risk dread/unfamiliarity
Safe and effective vaccines Health Belief model perceived benefits
Healthy, robust, resilient child counter to Health Belief Model perceived susceptibility
Not control/contain disease Health Belief model perceived severity
  Subjective perception of risk uncontrollable outcome
Trust in institution offering vaccination Subjective perception of risk trust mediates perception, outrage
Factors causing hesitation
Question need to prevent familiar disease Subjective perception of risk familiarity
Question child's resilience to side effects Health belief model perceived barriers
Negative impact on immune system Health belief model perceived barriers
Question vaccine efficacy Health belief model perceived benefits
Those at risk of serious illness are Health Belief Model perceived susceptibility
different to my child Decision making optimistic control
Structural barriers to completion
Continual minor illness Health belief model perceived barriers
Poor information Health belief model perceived barriers
  Decision making ambiguity
Poor communication Health belief model perceived benefits
  Subjective perception of risk outrage
  Decision making ambiguity
Knowing schedule and organisation Health belief model perceived barriers
Occurrence of serious side effects Health belief model perceived barriers
Factors prompting non-immunisation
Dread of the unknown vaccine side effects Subjective perception of risk dread of unfamiliar
   uncontrollable outcome
Not safe nor effective Health belief model perceived benefits
Negative impact on immune system Health belief model perceived barriers
Safer methods to control disease Decision making optimistic control
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BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

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