Say what? - SM
Factors
affecting uptake of childhood immunisation
Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK (K A
Roberts MA, M Dixon-Woods DPhil, Prof K R Abrams PhD, Prof D R Jones PhD);
and Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (Prof R Fitzpatrick
PhD) Correspondence to: Prof D R Jones, Epidemiology and Public
Health, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 6TP, UK (e-mail:drj@le.ac.uk)
Falls in levels of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunisation in the UK
and the continuing debate on how to respond to this situation emphasise the
importance of identifying and understanding the factors that affect the uptake
of recommended childhood immunisations. Both qualitative and quantitative
evidence could be useful in this process. We aimed to explore the feasibility
and value of an approach to formal synthesis of qualitative and quantitative
evidence in the context of factors affecting the uptake of childhood
immunisation in developed countries. We used a Bayesian approach to
meta-analysis. Evidence from 11 qualitative and 32 quantitative studies of
factors affecting uptake of childhood immunisation was combined and assessed. We
conclude that use of either qualitative or quantitative research alone might not
identify all relevant factors, or might result in inappropriate judgments about
their importance, and could thus lead to inappropriate formulation of
evidence-based policy. Further development of our methods might enable rigorous
synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence in this and other contexts.
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