Mandatory vaccination scheme in England: A discrete choice experiment
- Vaccine Affect
- Jan 17
- 3 min read
Smith, Carter
Parental preferences for a mandatory vaccination scheme in England: A discrete choice experiment
The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, Volume 16, 100359
Published April 13, 2022
A study was conducted in England and published in Lancet in May 2022 to investigate parental preferences if mandatory vaccination was introduced.
Their evidence shows that uptake of childhood vaccines in high-income countries has decreased in recent years and suggest that making vaccination mandatory has the potential to increase uptake.
Study results showed “..parents prefer mandatory vaccination schemes that offer financial incentives for vaccination. The penalty imposed for missing a vaccine dose, and the inclusion of a compensation scheme for severe adverse effects also influenced preferences. These results can be used to inform policy should a mandatory vaccination scheme be proposed in England.”
1001 participants were included in the study. They were broadly representative of the English population (53% female, 84% white ethnicity) and ranged in age between 18 and 65 years. “Participant characteristics differed by child vaccination status, with female, older, white, and partnered parents being more likely to report that their child was fully vaccinated. People who lived in London were less likely to have a fully vaccinated child, as were those whose child had a chronic illness. Parents with fully vaccinated children were likely to hold more positive vaccine sentiments and approve of mandatory vaccination.”
Participants preferred schemes that:
offered a compensation scheme, versus not offering one;
mandated the 6-in-1, rather than MMR vaccine;
mandated vaccination in children aged 2 years and older, compared to 5 years and older;
a slight preference for schemes with medical exemptions only, rather than those with medical and religious exemptions.
SUBGROUP ANALYSES
Participants from black and minoritized ethnic groups showed different patterns of preferences to white participants, placing more importance on the ability to opt out of a mandatory vaccination scheme.
Participants living in the South placed less emphasis on incentives and penalties of vaccination schemes.
People living in the South and London placed more importance on the ability to opt out with preference for schemes allowing only medical exemptions.
Participants who reported not having a partner placed more emphasis on the ability to opt out of a mandatory vaccination scheme.
Participants who were not partnered preferred schemes that offered medical and religious belief exemptions.
Partnered participants preferred schemes allowing only medical exemptions.
Participants with three or more children placed a much stronger emphasis on incentives for vaccination.
Parents aged under 30 did not show a preference for schemes that would not allow them to claim benefits for their child if not vaccinated.
Parents aged 30 years or over prefer schemes not allowing parents to claim benefits for their child if not vaccinated.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
Preferences for a mandatory vaccination scheme varied by vaccine sentiment. Positive sentiment (approval of child vaccines) and negative sentiment (disapproval of child vaccines).
Those with the most positive vaccine sentiments placed less emphasis on penalties of the schemes, and more emphasis on the vaccine to be made mandatory and chose the younger age group (2 years) in which vaccines should be made mandatory.
Participants with the least positive vaccine sentiments showed a preference for mandatory vaccination schemes that mandated vaccination in older children (5 years).
Participants with the least positive vaccine sentiments showed a preference for mandatory vaccination schemes that allowed medical and religious belief exemptions.
Participants who scored in the middle range for positive vaccine sentiments and those with the most positive vaccine sentiments, their preference was for schemes allowing medical exemptions only.
