Risk Communication and Vaccination Decision-Making by Recent Immigrant Mothers

Abstract

I investigated how recent immigrant mothers access and use current vaccine risk communication in their immunization decisions for themselves and their children. To complete this research, I engaged in a community-driven participatory research partnership with the Multi-Cultural Health Brokers Cooperative, a local health service provider. I analyzed vaccine information access and use in two contexts: 1) qualitative interviews with mothers from Bhutanese refugee (n=5), Chinese (n=10), and South Asian (n=8) communities about their experiences with vaccination decision-making during pregnancy and after childbirth; and 2) an interview with representatives from the Multi-Cultural Health Brokers about their organizational perspectives on the topic as a vaccine information and health service provider for new-immigrant women. The findings present how women in the three communities currently access and use vaccine information in their immunization decision-making processes. Furthermore, I discuss lessons learned of impacts that participatory research can have on the outcomes of qualitative inquiry.