Abstract
This study involved determining why mothers hesitate to vaccinate their children and where they get their information about vaccinations. This descriptive qualitative study guided by the health belief model explored the influence social media has on mothers’ perceived barriers to vaccinating their children. A descriptive qualitative approach was used, and one-on-one audio interviews were conducted via Zoom or in person with 19 participants. Participants were mothers 19 or older, had children between zero and 18, made medical decisions for their children who resided in their household, and sought information about vaccinations via healthcare providers, social media platforms, friends, or family. Participants were recruited using Facebook, the Walden University participant pool website, and a women’s support meeting at a local hospital. Interviews were conducted until saturation was reached, and then the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step process for analysis. Results revealed six themes: source of information, trust in healthcare providers, vaccine safety, side effects, adequate information, and recommended CDC vaccination schedule. The study results can lead to social change by educating the public about the benefits of using selected social media sites based on evidence-based research findings when making vaccine decisions. Further studies are needed to determine which websites have factual information supported by research. Improving healthcare providers' knowledge about determining whether the information available to mothers is evidence-based may result in a larger immunized population from common childhood illnesses.
Notes
References:
Basnight, L. L. (2023). Understanding and improving trust across the health care ecosystem. North Carolina Medical Journal, 84(3). https://doi.org/10.18043/001c.74502
Baumann, A., Andersen, B., Østergaard, L., & Larsen, M. B. (2019). Sense & sensibility: Decision-making and sources of information in mothers who decline HPV vaccination of their adolescent daughters. Vaccine: X, 2, 100020.
Bennett, J. P. (2019). Increasing vaccination rates requires a better understanding of vaccine hesitancy. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 191(42), E1167-E1168. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.73258
Boskey, E. (2022, January 27). How the health belief model influences your health choices. https://www.verywellmind.com/health-belief-model-3132721
Dubé, È., Ward, J. K., Verger, P., & MacDonald, N. E. (2021). Vaccine hesitancy, acceptance, and anti-vaccination: trends and future prospects for public health. Annu Rev Public Health, 42(1), 175-91. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth090419-102240
Sigma Membership
Phi Nu
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Health Equity, Social Determinants of Health, Public and Community Health, Vaccine Hesitation
Recommended Citation
Patterson, Wendy M., "Influence of Social Media on Mothers’ Decision-Making Regarding Vaccinations" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 5.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/5
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-17
Influence of Social Media on Mothers’ Decision-Making Regarding Vaccinations
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
This study involved determining why mothers hesitate to vaccinate their children and where they get their information about vaccinations. This descriptive qualitative study guided by the health belief model explored the influence social media has on mothers’ perceived barriers to vaccinating their children. A descriptive qualitative approach was used, and one-on-one audio interviews were conducted via Zoom or in person with 19 participants. Participants were mothers 19 or older, had children between zero and 18, made medical decisions for their children who resided in their household, and sought information about vaccinations via healthcare providers, social media platforms, friends, or family. Participants were recruited using Facebook, the Walden University participant pool website, and a women’s support meeting at a local hospital. Interviews were conducted until saturation was reached, and then the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step process for analysis. Results revealed six themes: source of information, trust in healthcare providers, vaccine safety, side effects, adequate information, and recommended CDC vaccination schedule. The study results can lead to social change by educating the public about the benefits of using selected social media sites based on evidence-based research findings when making vaccine decisions. Further studies are needed to determine which websites have factual information supported by research. Improving healthcare providers' knowledge about determining whether the information available to mothers is evidence-based may result in a larger immunized population from common childhood illnesses.
Description
This study involved determining why mothers hesitate to vaccinate their children and where they get their information about vaccinations. Further studies are needed to determine which websites have factual information supported by research. Improving healthcare providers' knowledge about determining whether the information available to mothers is evidence-based may result in a larger immunized population from common childhood illnesses.