A Psychosocial Critique of the Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic on UK Care Home Staff Attitudes to the Flu Vaccination: A Qualitative Longitudinal Study.
Adaku Anyiam-Osigwe, Thando Katangwe-Chigamba, Sion Scott, Carys Seeley, Amrish Patel, Erika J Sims, Richard Holland, Veronica Bion, Allan B Clark, Alys Wyn Griffiths, Liz Jones, Adam P Wagner, David J Wright, Linda Birt
Author Information
Adaku Anyiam-Osigwe: Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. ORCID
Thando Katangwe-Chigamba: Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. ORCID
Sion Scott: School of Healthcare, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK. ORCID
Carys Seeley: Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Amrish Patel: School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. ORCID
Erika J Sims: Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Richard Holland: Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK.
Veronica Bion: Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. ORCID
Allan B Clark: Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Alys Wyn Griffiths: School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 4ET, UK. ORCID
Liz Jones: School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 4ET, UK. ORCID
Adam P Wagner: Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. ORCID
David J Wright: School of Healthcare, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK. ORCID
Linda Birt: School of Healthcare, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
Vaccinating care home staff is essential to protect vulnerable residents by reducing infection risks and creating a safer care environment. However, vaccine hesitancy amongst staff remains a challenge, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about side effects and vaccination mandates. This study examines how the pandemic influenced flu vaccine hesitancy amongst UK care home staff. : Data were collected from the trials conducted over the 2021-22 and 2022-23 winter seasons to explore the impact of concurrent mandatory and non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies on flu vaccine uptake. A total of 52 interviews (21 from the feasibility study and 31 from the randomised control trial) were conducted with care home managers and staff. Thematic analysis identified key themes shaping staff attitudes toward flu vaccination. Results: Four central themes emerged regarding the impact of the pandemic on staff attitudes and the contextual influences shaping vaccine hesitance: (i) tension between autonomy and morals in vaccination decisions; (ii) the COVID 'craze' and the displacement of the flu vaccine; (iii) the role of the COVID 'craze' in staff vaccine fatigue; and (iv) conspiracies, (mis)information, and the significance of trust. Psychosocial theories on decision making and health behaviour were used to further interpret the findings. Our findings suggest that post-COVID-19 interventions in care home setting should address the issues of autonomy, vaccine fatigue, and trust to enhance vaccine uptake. Understanding these factors could support more effective strategies to address hesitancy amongst care home staff in future vaccination campaigns.
