Vaccine acceptance: Science,policy, and practice in a ‘post-fact’ world

Suboptimal vaccination uptake may be associated with outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in many parts of the world. Researchers and practitioners working on improving vaccine acceptance and uptake gathered together for the fifth annual meeting on vaccine acceptance, organized by the Fondation Mérieux at its conference centre in Veyrier-du-Lac, France, to share their experiences in building, improving and sustaining vaccine confidence and uptake. The importance and value of truly listening to people and seeking to understand the perspectives of vaccine hesitant people was emphasized throughout the meeting. The benefits of social marketing, which can be used to influence behavior that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good, and its integration into strategies aimed at improving vaccine acceptance and uptake, were discussed. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) need tools and training to help them engage effectively in vaccination acceptance conversations with parents and other patients. Two potential tools, motivational interviewing (MI) and AIMS (Announce, Inquire, Mirror, Secure), were presented. Examples of MI approaches that have successfully improved vaccination acceptance and uptake included a project in Canada aimed at parents just after the birth of their baby. The role of mandates to increase vaccination uptake in the short-term was discussed, but to achieve sustainable vaccination uptake this must be complemented with other strategies. These annual meetings have led to the creation of an informal community of practice that facilitates cross-pollination between the various disciplines and different settings of those involved in this area of research and implementation. It was agreed that we must continue our efforts to promote vaccine acceptance and thus increase vaccination uptake, by fostering more effective vaccination communication, monitoring of the media conversation on vaccination, designing and rigorously evaluating targeted interventions, and surveillance of vaccine acceptance and uptake with pertinent, reliable measures.     

‘Good parents’ strive to raise ‘innocent daughters’

This paper analyses the views of parents in a slum setting in Pakistan regarding the marriage preparedness of their daughters. Twenty-five parents participated in four gender-specific focus group discussions. Latent content analysis was used to explore parents' views and experiences with regard to their daughters' marriage and how they prepared them for it. The main theme identified was that ‘good parents’ strive to raise ‘innocent daughters’. Three sub-themes contributing to the main theme were: a daughter–a responsibility and a burden; social and sexual innocence; and parents' roles in the preparation for marriage. The theme and the sub-themes together illustrate how parents saw themselves as responsible for raising ‘innocent daughters’ and arranging good marriages. Parents realised, though, that bringing up daughters for marriage required not only training in submissivness, but also building confidence and knowledge during their childhood.     

‘Antidepressants unlimited’

Antidepressants are among the worlds' most prescribed drugs. However, there are several controversies around their extensive use in primary care, and doubts about their effects, especially in children and older people. Psychological interventions are probably at least as effective as antidepressants, and are preferred by many patients. These issues were discussed at the debating sessions at WONCA 2004 in Amsterdam. Eur J Gen Pract 2005;11(3):119–21.     

孕期‘痛’

每个经历过妊娠和分娩的妇女,都知道疼痛并不是分娩时特有的,它甚至可以说是贯穿整个妊娠期。所以有人曾说,女性从十月怀胎,到一朝分娩似乎都与疼痛有不解之缘。 从医学上讲,妊娠期间,由于胎儿生长发育的需要,母体的各个系统都会发生很大的改变,这些改变除了会引起乳房增大、阴道分泌物增多、下肢静肪曲张、小腿浮肿等正常的生理改变外,还可能引起身体某此部们的疼痛。 头痛,部分妇女在怀孕早期可能有头昏、轻度头痛,这是较常见的妊娠反应。倘若在怀孕六个月后,出现日趋加重的头痛,伴呕吐、胸闷,甚至出现视物模糊,同时下肢浮肿,血压境高,小便中有蛋白,这是妊娠高血压综合征的表现。如果不及时治疗,会发生以抽搐、     

The ‘Third Revolution’

The paralytic ileus, poor nutritional state, and related complications that often develop following serious abdominal surgery have traditionally been accepted as unavoidable. Now, a nasogastric decompression and feeding tube is available that usually prevents paralytic ileus and also provides a complete liquid diet starting immediately after the operation, thus speeding wound healing and recovery.     

怎样防治‘水猴子’

‘水猴子’,医学上称为传染性软疣,多见于小儿,好发于胸、背、面,颈和眼睑,四肢也可出现。初起为肤色或乳白色丘疹,由针头大至豆粒大不等,或有蜡样光泽,周围皮肤不红,丘疹中 央有脐窝,多散在发生。抓破后易发红(化脓感染的指征),偶可自愈。此病不痒或有微痒,治好后不留疤痕。 问:病因是什么? 答:是由一种软疣病毒引起的,在     

隐形眼镜须‘护理’

自1987年美国博士伦公司第一次将软性隐形眼镜介绍到中国以后,隐形眼镜便成为眼镜行业中的畅销产品。它为越来越多的近视患者带来了极大的方便和好处。人们不用再担心沉甸甸的近视眼镜随时会从鼻梁上滑落下采,也不必为在眼镜上形成的浓雾和水气而烦恼。隐形眼镜更使热爱运动的近视患者能够挥洒自如。     

关节可‘以旧换新’

关节可‘以旧换新’文／徐栋华＿灵活的关节是人体运动的枢纽。没有关节，运动就难以完成。不幸的是，许多疾病可破坏关节，引起僵硬、强直，发生疼痛和运动障碍。引起关节“报废”的因素：一是创伤，如有些股骨颈骨折，由于缺乏血液供应，营养差，难以愈合。二是各种炎症...