Evolution between 2008 and 2018 of mothers’ perception regarding vaccination and infant vaccine coverage in France

• Published in: Infectious diseases now (Online) 2021-03, Vol.51 (2), p.153-158
• Main Authors: Martinot, A., Leboucher, B., Cohen, R., Stahl, J.-P., Subtil, D., Pujol, P., Lepetit, H., Longfier, L., Gaudelus, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Infant; Mandatory vaccination; Vaccination coverage rate; Vaccine hesitancy; Vaccinoscopie
• ISSN: 2666-9919; 2666-9919
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medmal.2020.09.027

•Vaccinoscopie is an annual French web-based survey targeting mothers, which monitors vaccine coverage rates (VCRs) in children as well as the opinion of mothers regarding vaccination.•This publication focused on evolution of VCRs in infants during the period 2008–2018.•This study shows for the first time in 2018 an increased proportion of mothers in favour of vaccination.•During this period, the VCRs were stable and high for diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis and pneumococcus components and highly progressed for measles, mumps rubella, hepatitis B and meningococcus C components.•Extension of mandatory vaccination for all infants born from first of January 2018 in France further increased MenC and HepB VCRs. Monitoring of vaccination coverage rates (VCRs) is essential to assess the implementation of a country's vaccine policy and its effectiveness. Through the French Vaccinoscopy study, we measured the evolution of VCRs as well as mothers’ opinion towards vaccination between 2008 and 2018, before and after implementation of infant mandatory vaccination extension. This is a study based on an internet-standardised questionnaire. In 2018, a representative sample of 3000 mothers of infants 0 to 35 months of age answered on their opinion on vaccination and reported all vaccinations recorded in their child's health record. On the period considered, infant VCRs were stable and high for diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis and pneumococcus components and progressed for measles, mumps rubella, 2 doses at 24 months of age from 45.3% in 2008 to 81.0% in 2018, hepatitis B (HepB) complete primovaccination at 6 months of age from 45.9% in 2008 to 86.3% in 2017 and 95.5% in 2018, and meningococcus C (MenC) 1 dose at 6 months of age from 43.0% in 2017 to 74.2% in 2018. In 2018, 69.0% of mothers were in favour of vaccination while this rate dropped from 80.2% in 2012 to 64.0% in 2017, and 80.8 to 89.6% perceived HepB, MenC measles and pertussis vaccinations as useful/essential, percentages in progress versus 2017. Following the implementation of infant mandatory vaccination in 2018, proportion of mothers in favour of vaccination increased significantly. HepB and MenC VCRs significantly progressed between 2017 and 2018.