No description available.

Introduction En juin 2009, l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS) a déclaré l’état de pandémie pour le nouveau virus influenza A(H1N1). Malgré les recommandations des autorités de santé publique, lors de la mise en place de la campagne de vaccination de masse au Québec contre ce virus pandémique, certains groupes de la population ont été plus enclins à être vaccinés que d’autres groupes. Ceci souligne l’importance des déterminants psychosociaux du comportement humain, sujet qui a donné cadre à notre étude. Objectifs Le but de cette étude a été de documenter les attitudes, les connaissances et les influences sociales des parents dont les enfants fréquentent des services de garde éducatifs (SGE) vis-à-vis la vaccination contre la pandémie ainsi que la couverture vaccinale. Méthodologie Un questionnaire auto-administré et anonyme basé sur la théorie des comportements interpersonnels de Triandis a été distribué aux parents d’enfants âgés de 0-59 mois de neuf centres de la petite enfance sur l’île de Montréal. Résultats Le taux de réponse de l’enquête a été de 32,0% (N=185). Le taux de vaccination des enfants s’est retrouvé à 83,4%; ceci représente une couverture plus élevée que la moyenne régionale et nationale. Toutefois, à une question sur l’intention des parents face à une autre pandémie, seuls 46% des parents feraient vacciner leur enfant. Les facteurs les plus significatifs associés à la vaccination de leur enfant ont été les croyances personnelles positives, de bonnes habitudes vaccinales et l’influence des média, tous mesurés par plusieurs indicateurs (RC respectifs de 7,7, 3,1 et 4,2, p<0,05). Conclusion Pour la grippe A(H1N1), plusieurs facteurs contextuels ont joué en faveur des taux de vaccination acceptables chez les enfants. Toutefois, la mise en place d’une campagne de la vaccination par les instances gouvernementales et de santé publique en utilisant divers média pourraient contribuer à un taux de vaccination encore plus élevé en cas d’épidémie ou de pandémie. / Background In June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2009 A(H1N1) swine flu a pandemic. Despite the recommandations from public health authorities when setting up the mass immunization campaign in Quebec against the influenza A(H1N1), some population groups were more likely to be vaccinated than others. This underlines the importance of psychosocial determinants of human behaviour, which gave a framework for our study. Objectives The aim of this study was to document the attitudes, knowledge and social influences of parents whose children attend early childhood centers (ECC) regarding the vaccination against the pandemic and its coverage. Methods A self-administered and anonymous questionnaire based on the theory of reasoned action of Triandis was distributed to parents of children aged 0-59 months in nine childcare centers on the island of Montreal. Results The response rate of the survey was 32.0% (N=185). The vaccination uptake for children was 84%; this represents a higher coverage than the average regional and national levels. However, only 46% of the parents said that they would vaccinate their child again if a new flu pandemic was being declared by the World Health Organization. The most significant factors associated with vaccination uptake were positive personal beliefs, getting seasonal flu vaccines and the influence of media, all measured by several indicators (respective odds ratio 7,7, 3,1 and 4,2, p<0,05). Conclusion Several contextual factors played in favour of acceptable vaccination rates among children. However, the establishment of a campaign of vaccination by government authorities and public health agencies while using various media to spread information could contribute to higher vaccination rates in a future case of epidemic or pandemic.

Introduction En juin 2009, l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS) a déclaré l’état de pandémie pour le nouveau virus influenza A(H1N1). Malgré les recommandations des autorités de santé publique, lors de la mise en place de la campagne de vaccination de masse au Québec contre ce virus pandémique, certains groupes de la population ont été plus enclins à être vaccinés que d’autres groupes. Ceci souligne l’importance des déterminants psychosociaux du comportement humain, sujet qui a donné cadre à notre étude. Objectifs Le but de cette étude a été de documenter les attitudes, les connaissances et les influences sociales des parents dont les enfants fréquentent des services de garde éducatifs (SGE) vis-à-vis la vaccination contre la pandémie ainsi que la couverture vaccinale. Méthodologie Un questionnaire auto-administré et anonyme basé sur la théorie des comportements interpersonnels de Triandis a été distribué aux parents d’enfants âgés de 0-59 mois de neuf centres de la petite enfance sur l’île de Montréal. Résultats Le taux de réponse de l’enquête a été de 32,0% (N=185). Le taux de vaccination des enfants s’est retrouvé à 83,4%; ceci représente une couverture plus élevée que la moyenne régionale et nationale. Toutefois, à une question sur l’intention des parents face à une autre pandémie, seuls 46% des parents feraient vacciner leur enfant. Les facteurs les plus significatifs associés à la vaccination de leur enfant ont été les croyances personnelles positives, de bonnes habitudes vaccinales et l’influence des média, tous mesurés par plusieurs indicateurs (RC respectifs de 7,7, 3,1 et 4,2, p<0,05). Conclusion Pour la grippe A(H1N1), plusieurs facteurs contextuels ont joué en faveur des taux de vaccination acceptables chez les enfants. Toutefois, la mise en place d’une campagne de la vaccination par les instances gouvernementales et de santé publique en utilisant divers média pourraient contribuer à un taux de vaccination encore plus élevé en cas d’épidémie ou de pandémie. / Background In June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2009 A(H1N1) swine flu a pandemic. Despite the recommandations from public health authorities when setting up the mass immunization campaign in Quebec against the influenza A(H1N1), some population groups were more likely to be vaccinated than others. This underlines the importance of psychosocial determinants of human behaviour, which gave a framework for our study. Objectives The aim of this study was to document the attitudes, knowledge and social influences of parents whose children attend early childhood centers (ECC) regarding the vaccination against the pandemic and its coverage. Methods A self-administered and anonymous questionnaire based on the theory of reasoned action of Triandis was distributed to parents of children aged 0-59 months in nine childcare centers on the island of Montreal. Results The response rate of the survey was 32.0% (N=185). The vaccination uptake for children was 84%; this represents a higher coverage than the average regional and national levels. However, only 46% of the parents said that they would vaccinate their child again if a new flu pandemic was being declared by the World Health Organization. The most significant factors associated with vaccination uptake were positive personal beliefs, getting seasonal flu vaccines and the influence of media, all measured by several indicators (respective odds ratio 7,7, 3,1 and 4,2, p<0,05). Conclusion Several contextual factors played in favour of acceptable vaccination rates among children. However, the establishment of a campaign of vaccination by government authorities and public health agencies while using various media to spread information could contribute to higher vaccination rates in a future case of epidemic or pandemic.

Introduction and Background: Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) are infectious diseases, primarily of childhood, which cause significant mortality and morbidity globally. These infections are, however, vaccine preventable and there is potential for them to be eradicated worldwide through the strategic use of organised population immunisation programmes. Following the introduction of the MMR vaccination in the UK in 1988, uptake was initially good and a high level of population vaccination coverage was achieved. This was sustained until 1998 when a study by Dr Wakefield and colleagues was published in the Lancet suggesting the theoretical possibility of an association between MMR and Autism/bowel disease. Intense media coverage followed, uptake of MMR vaccine fell to less than 80% in Somerset, and community outbreaks of measles, which had almost been eliminated in the UK, began to reappear. The Wakefield study was subsequently discredited and was eventually retracted by the Lancet in 2010. In August 2008 the Chief Medical Officer announced a national MMR catch-up campaign, targeting all children between the age of 13 months and 18 years who had either not been vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, or had only partial immunisation. These children were invited again for vaccination and the campaign was completed in January 2009. This study was undertaken to explore, in depth, the quantitative data available in respect of the uptake of MMR at the time of the 2009 campaign, and also to provide new qualitative data in relation to the attitudes, beliefs and experience of MMR and immunisation services of parents who continued to decline MMR for their children after the 2009 campaign, in order to identify factors which affected parental decision-making, add to the wider knowledge base, and to use this knowledge to improve the future development of immunisation services in Somerset. Methods: The overall objective of the study was to investigate a number of social, demographic and geographic characteristics of parents and children associated with MMR uptake, to compare these characteristics within and between defined sub-sets of the Somerset population, and to explore the basis on which parents in Somerset make decisions in relation to MMR immunisation. The study design adopted was a ‘mixed methods’ approach comprising of a cross-sectional design with three sequential phases - an exploration of baseline epidemiological data; a survey conducted with parents of children who remained unimmunised after 2009; and finally, semi-structured interviews with a sub-set of these parents. Results: The key findings from the study are: Parents who decline MMR for their children are not a homogenous group, but consist of a number of sub-groups each of which have different motives, decision pathways and predicted outcomes in relation to potential to change their mind and accept MMR There are differences in geographic distribution between the two age groups investigated Whilst the ‘Wakefield’ study did, and still does have, an impact, it is not the only or most important factor in their continuing decision-making. There is evidence that health professionals have a key role in addressing parental concerns in respect of immunisation. GP practice was the most significant factor associated with uptake in the Phase 1 study, and this was further confirmed in interviews with parents. Parents make decisions through engagement, through communicating and relating to others and this offers a potential mechanism for health professionals to influence decisions through open engagement with parents. Discussion and Conclusions: Three parent sub-groups were identified (Single Vaccines; Medical Comorbidities and Natural Health). These sub-groups were further investigated and factors associated with the decision-making pathways of each group were identified. This resulted in the development of the ‘MMR Parent Engagement Framework’ as a tool for use by professionals in planning their interactions with parents to improve and encourage more open dialogue in order to positively influence parental decision-making in relation to accepting MMR or other vaccinations. From a commissioning perspective, embedding frameworks such as this in service specifications offers a more cost-effective approach to improving immunisation uptake than funding large, poorly targeted catch-up campaigns. It is therefore recommended that further research is undertaken to provide evidence of the effectiveness of the approach in practice, and to inform future commissioning decisions. Additional recommendations to improve the effectiveness and delivery of immunisation services are also made in respect of GP Practice specific factors, independent schools, ethnic minority communities, vaccine overload, media, and data validation. The study has already directly influenced changes in current practice at both a local and a national level.

The thesis "Attitudes of Parents of Intact Children and Children with Disabilities to Inclusive Education" deals with the new paradigm in education, which is a model of inclusive education. The theoretical background focuses on factors influencing the formation of attitudes, including the socialization process, the influence of the environment, families and social stratification, the consequences of social exclusion, racism and xenophobia, ethnocentrism, stereotypes and prejudices. The factual basis of this diploma thesis is focused on the definition of key concepts that are closely related to inclusive education. In this section I looked at the differences between the concepts of integration, inclusion and inclusive education, the legislative framework of inclusive education, the definition of attitudes, health and social disadvantage, and the possibilities of educating disadvantaged pupils. In the empirical part of this diploma thesis were used qualitative methods of research. The key issue was to find out what attitudes are for parents of healthy and disadvantaged pupils, what is the difference between the attitudes of parents of healthy and disadvantaged pupils, what factors affect parents' attitudes and what is their awareness. Half-structured interviews were used to collect these data,...