Adolescent confidence in immunisation: Assessing and comparing attitudes of adolescents and adults.
There is limited knowledge of adolescent views and attitudes towards immunisation. Our study investigated adolescent attitudes to immunisation and compared differences in vaccination attitudes between adolescents and adults.



This study was a cross-sectional, national online survey. Recruitment was stratified by state and gender to ensure findings were nationally representative. Regression analyses were performed to assess and compare adolescent and adult views on vaccine benefits, community protection, risks, side effects, sources of information, and decision-making preference.



In 2013, 502 adolescents and 2003 adults completed the online survey. Lower levels of vaccine confidence were observed in adolescents with adolescents less likely to believe vaccines are beneficial and/or safe compared to adults (p=0.043). Compared to females, males were less confident of vaccine benefits (p<0.05) but less concern about vaccine side effects (p<0.05). Adolescents were more concerned about vaccine side effects than adults for pain (p<0.001), redness or swelling (p<0.001), and fever (p=0.006). Adolescents were less likely than adults to consider health professionals (p<0.001) and the media (e.g. internet) (p=0.010) as important sources of information, and were more likely to seek information from social networks (p<0.001) including families and schools. Although 62.0% of adolescents agreed that parents should make the decision about vaccination for them, adolescents were more likely to prefer a joint decision with parents (p<0.001) or by themselves (p=0.007) compared with adults.



Adolescents have a lesser understanding of vaccine safety and benefits than adults and have higher concerns about potential vaccine reactions. Improving adolescent awareness and knowledge of the benefits and risks of vaccination through school-based educational programs may improve confidence in and uptake of vaccines for adolescents and increase vaccine confidence in the next generation of parents.
The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit (VIRTU), Women's and Children's Hospital, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: bing.wang@adelaide.edu.au.
Bing
B
Wang
School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: lynne.giles@adelaide.edu.au.
Lynne
L
Giles
School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: hossein.hajialiafzali@adelaide.edu.au.
Hossein Haji Ali
HHA
Afzali
Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit (VIRTU), Women's and Children's Hospital, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: michelle.clarke@adelaide.edu.au.
Michelle
M
Clarke
Flinders Health Economics Group, School of Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: Julie.ratcliffe@health.sa.gov.au.
Julie
J
Ratcliffe
Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: gang.chen@monash.edu.
Gang
G
Chen
The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit (VIRTU), Women's and Children's Hospital, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: helen.marshall@adelaide.edu.au.
Helen
H
Marshall
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014612:Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
D014612:Vaccines
Adolescents; Attitudes; Concerns; Immunisation