The experience of traumatic events, psychological distress, and social support: links to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and trends with age in a group of older Australians.

Background: Vaccination is important to reduce disease-associated morbidity and mortality in an ageing global population. While older adults are more likely than younger adults to accept vaccines, some remain hesitant. We sought to understand how traumatic events, psychological distress and social support contribute to older adults' intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and whether these experiences change with age.

Communication Interventions and Assessment of Drivers for Hendra Virus Vaccination Uptake.

Hendra virus disease (HeVD) is an emerging zoonosis in Australia, resulting from the transmission of Hendra virus (HeV) to horses from bats. Vaccine uptake for horses is low despite the high case fatality rate of HeVD in both horses and people. We reviewed evidence-based communication interventions to promote and improve HeV vaccine uptake for horses by horse owners and conducted a preliminary evaluation of potential drivers for HeV vaccine uptake using the Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination (BeSD) framework developed by the World Health Organization.

Association between traumatic life events and vaccine hesitancy: A cross-sectional Australian study.

Objectives: We sought to identify associations between the experience of traumatic life events and vaccination intention to inform whether trauma-affected individuals require targeted interventions when addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Study Design: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey to identify whether direct or indirect exposure to various traumatic life events and the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in an Australian sample.

Methods: A national online questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of 1050 Australian adults in September 2021.

Willingness to receive a vaccine is influenced by adverse events following immunisation experienced by others.

An adverse event following immunization (AEFI) can have consequences for an individual's future decision making and may contribute to vaccine hesitancy. AEFIs vary in severity and can be experienced directly (by an individual themselves) or indirectly (through witnessed or recounted events). We sought to measure the prevalence of specific AEFIs and understand which AEFIs have the greatest associations with reduced willingness to receive a vaccine and how injection anxiety may moderate the relationship.

COVID-19 testing decisions and behaviours in two Australian cities.

Issue Addressed: High levels of testing are crucial for minimising the spread of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to investigate what prevents people from getting a COVID-19 test when they are experiencing respiratory symptoms.

Methods: Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 purposively sampled adults between 20 November 2020 and 3 March 2021 in two capital cities of Australia and analysed thematically.

Stigmatized for standing up for my child: A qualitative study of non-vaccinating parents in Australia.

Background: Vaccine refusal is highly polarizing in Australia, producing a challenging social landscape for non-vaccinating parents. We sought to understand the lived experience of non-vaccinating parents in contemporary Australia.

Methods: We recruited a national sample of non-vaccinating parents of children <18 yrs, advertising on national radio, in playgrounds in low vaccination areas, and using snowballing.

Using social media for vaccination promotion: Practices and challenges.

Objective: Vaccination misinformation is widespread on social media. Vaccine-promoting organisations are working to curb its influence, but face obstacles. We aimed to analyse their social media strategies and the challenges they encounter.

Parenting and the vaccine refusal process: A new explanation of the relationship between lifestyle and vaccination trajectories.

Recent research illuminates the characteristics of non-vaccinating parents in well-defined geographic communities, however the process by which they came to reject vaccines is less clearly understood. Between September 11th, 2017 and February 20th, 2019, we recruited a nationally derived sample of Australian parents of children under 18 years who rejected some or all vaccines for semi-structured interviews. We used various strategies, including advertising on national radio, in community centres and playgrounds in low coverage areas, and snowballing.

The Impact of Receiving Pretravel Health Advice on the Prevention of Hajj-Related Illnesses Among Australian Pilgrims: Cohort Study.

Background: Pretravel health advice can play a crucial role in improving both travelers' awareness about disease risk and compliance with preventive measures. General practitioners (GPs) and the internet have been reported internationally to be the main sources of health advice for travelers to non-mass gathering (MG) destinations. However, few studies have attempted to investigate the sources of health advice among travelers to MGs including the Hajj pilgrimage, and none of these studies further investigated the impact of pretravel advice on pilgrims' health behaviors.

Tracking Australian Hajj Pilgrims' Health Behavior before, during and after Hajj, and the Effective Use of Preventive Measures in Reducing Hajj-Related Illness: A Cohort Study.

This study assessed Australian Hajj pilgrims' knowledge, attitude and practices throughout their Hajj journey to understand their health behaviors, use of preventative measures and development of illness symptoms. A prospective cohort study with data collection at three phases (before, during and after Hajj) was conducted among Australian pilgrims between August and December 2015. Baseline data were collected from 421 pilgrims before Hajj, with 391 providing follow-up data during Hajj and 300 after their home return.

Australian beef industry worker's knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding Q fever: A pilot study.

Background: Q fever is a vaccine-preventable zoonotic infection with potentially severe health outcomes and high economic costs that affects agricultural workers, including beef and cattle industry workers, however this population historically have sub-optimal vaccine uptake.

Objective: To gather quantitative and qualitative pilot data from Australian beef industry workers on their knowledge, attitudes and practices around Q fever and Q fever vaccination.

Methods: A mixed methods approach was used to ascertain the Q fever disease risk perception and vaccination behavior of a purposive convenience sample of beef industry workers attending an industry expo in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia between May 7th and 9th, 2018.

Exploring Australian Hajj Tour Operators' Knowledge and Practices Regarding Pilgrims' Health Risks: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Travel agents are known to be one of the main sources of health information for pilgrims, and their advice is associated with positive health behaviors.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate travel agents' health knowledge, what health advice they provide to the pilgrims, and their sources of health information.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted among specialist Hajj travel agents in Sydney, Australia.

Hand Hygiene Compliance and Effectiveness Against Respiratory Infections Among Hajj Pilgrims: A Systematic Review.

The role of hand hygiene in the prevention of respiratory tract infections in Hajj pilgrims has not been assessed through a focussed systematic review of the literature. Considering this, a systematic review was undertaken to synthesize the up-to-date literature on the compliance and effectiveness of hand hygiene among Hajj attendees. Major databases, including OVID Medline, were searched by using a combination of MeSH terms and text words for potentially relevant articles.

Australian caregivers' perceptions of influenza vaccination in pregnancy: A mixed methods exploration.

Background: Pregnant women and their unborn children are at high risk from both pandemic and seasonal influenza.

Aim: To explore views about influenza vaccination during pregnancy, in a pandemic and immediate post-pandemic context, among mothers and other carers of young children.

Methods: In a mixed methods study, caregivers from 16 childcare centres in Sydney, Australia, were surveyed in November and December 2009, and interviews were conducted with caregivers from six childcare centres between June 2009 and May 2011.

Much ado about flu: A mixed methods study of parental perceptions, trust and information seeking in a pandemic.

Background: Effective public health messaging is essential in both the planning phase and duration of a pandemic.

Objectives: This study aimed to gain an understanding of parental information seeking, trusted sources and needs in relation to pandemic influenza A 2009 (pH1N1) to inform future policy planning and resource development.

Patients/methods: We conducted a mixed methods study; parents from 16 childcare centres in Sydney, Australia, were surveyed between 16 November and 9 December 2009, and interviews were conducted with participants from six childcare centres between June 2009 and May 2011.

Association between Australian Hajj Pilgrims' awareness of MERS-CoV, and their compliance with preventive measures and exposure to camels.

Through a prospective cohort study the relationship between travellers' awareness of MERS-CoV, and compliance with preventive measures and exposure to camels was evaluated among Australian Hajj pilgrims who attended Hajj in 2015. Only 28% of Australian Hajj pilgrims were aware of MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia. Those who were aware of MERS-CoV were more likely to receive recommended vaccines [odds ratio (OR) 3.

Exploring barriers to and facilitators of preventive measures against infectious diseases among Australian Hajj pilgrims: cross-sectional studies before and after Hajj.

Objective: For reasons that have yet to be elucidated, the uptake of preventive measures against infectious diseases by Hajj pilgrims is variable. The aim of this study was to identify the preventive advice and interventions received by Australian pilgrims before Hajj, and the barriers to and facilitators of their use during Hajj.

Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys of Australians pilgrims aged ≥18 years were undertaken, one before and one after the Hajj 2014.

Camel exposure and knowledge about MERS-CoV among Australian Hajj pilgrims in 2014.

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Pilot use of a novel smartphone application to track traveller health behaviour and collect infectious disease data during a mass gathering: Hajj pilgrimage 2014.

This study examines the feasibility of using a smartphone application (app) to conduct surveys among travellers during the Hajj pilgrimage, where the use of apps has not been evaluated for infectious disease surveillance. A longitudinal study was conducted among pilgrims at the Hajj 2014 using an iPhone app with separate questionnaires for three study phases covering before, during, and after Hajj. Forty-eight pilgrims from 13 countries downloaded the app.

Understanding pregnant women's attitudes and behavior toward influenza and pertussis vaccination.

Internationally, pregnant and postpartum women have been the focus of influenza and pertussis immunization campaigns, with differing levels of vaccine acceptance. We used semistructured interviews to explore pregnant women's perspectives on influenza vaccination during pregnancy and postpartum pertussis vaccination. Many women saw pregnancy as a busy time filled with advice on what they "should" and "should not" do to ensure the health of their fetus, and vaccinating themselves was regarded as just one of these tasks needing consideration.