Children's participation in vaccine research: parents' views.
OBJECTIVE
Vaccine studies that evaluate the persistence of protection following immunisation require subjects to continue participation in a research protocol over many years. As parents' attitudes and opinions may change over time, and with experience of research, it is important to consider the factors influencing parents' decision-making about their child's continued participation in such prolonged vaccine studies.


METHODS
Parental views about participation of their child in a one-year follow-up vaccine study were explored by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Of the 254 eligible parents, 187 took part (74 per cent).


RESULTS
Parents who provided consent were more likely to agree that having a home visit to take blood was very helpful (p=0.005) and that information obtained during the earlier part of the study influenced their decision to take part in a follow-up study (p<0.0001). Parents who did not consent to their child's participation were more likely to report the presence of personal reasons as a variable influencing their decision (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The relationship between study staff and parents is the cornerstone for success in performing studies involving vaccines and children. Provision of clear study information (oral and written) and offering the convenience of home visits are important in retaining participants in paediatric vaccine trials.
Jay
Fabienne
F
Sanofi Pasteur, France. fabienne.jay@sanofipasteur.com
Chantler
Tracey
T
Lees
Amanda
A
Pollard
Andrew J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002651:Child Advocacy / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006792:House Calls; D006805:Human Experimentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033242:Minors / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D033282:Parental Consent / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000523:psychology; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012044:Regression Analysis; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014612:Vaccines / Q000592:standards
D014612:Vaccines