Vaccines research: Looking at why some people get vaccinated and some do not

Introduction

Research means getting facts, figures and information about something.

This research has been done to understand why some groups of people get vaccinated and why some do not.

We will use the information we get to plan the future of Scotland's Vaccination and Immunisation Programme and make sure it includes everyone.

In December 2020 the Scottish Government started a Covid-19 vaccination programme to make sure everyone could get a vaccine.

A vaccine is a medicine that is injected into your body to help you fight a disease.

In Autumn/Winter 2021/22, this was changed to include both Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.

From April 2023 Public Health Scotland will arrange all vaccinations in Scotland.

People may not have had a Covid-19 vaccine for lots of reasons.

Some people may have got their vaccine but found it difficult to do.

Some of these groups are:

- younger people

- people from some ethnic groups

- people living with long term health conditions or disabilities

- people living in the most deprived areas

A deprived area is one where people have more difficulties in different parts of their life.

For example many of the people who live there do not have:

- enough money

- choices and chances

- resources – there might not be as many public services

The most important things about the research were to get information about

- people's experience of the vaccination programme

- why some people decided to get the vaccine

- why some people decided not to get the vaccine

81 people took part in the research.

They were adults living in Scotland when the vaccination programme was happening.

They are members of groups who:

- may have found getting a Covid-19 or flu vaccine more difficult

- may be less likely to get the Covid-19 or flu vaccine

We spoke to each person on the phone or on a videocall for around an hour.

All interviews were between 11 March and 3 May 2022.

We asked everyone the same questions.