Dr. Terra Manca examines the factors affecting people’s access to vaccines, and how to create a more supportive health care system
Getting vaccinated is often much more than a simple, yes-or-no decision for people, said Athabasca University researcher Dr. Terra Manca.
“There's a lot of factors at play behind the scenes that can create barriers to being vaccinated,” said Manca, the Canada Research Chair in Regulation, Social Governance, and Inequities in Health, and an assistant professor in the university’s Faculty of Health Disciplines.
These can include practical, day-to-day limitations like access to childcare and transportation, or having money to take the bus to a clinic, she explains. People may not be able to get time off work, or they may live in a rural or remote area where it’s harder to access health care.
“There can also be gaps in people's knowledge of where to find credible information, or differences in what information people think is credible to inform their decisions. That can create some hesitancy. So there can be numerous reasons why someone is not vaccinated,” Manca said.
Vaccines during pregnancy
Some of Manca's research has focused specifically on vaccination and pregnancy, with a population of people who are particularly concerned about having the right information to make an informed decision.
“Pregnant people often feel a lot of pressure to make the best possible decisions they can for their babies. So even if they might feel like they want a vaccine for themselves, they might be worried about getting it for the safety of their baby, and they need a lot of information to inform that decision in a way that they're most comfortable,” she said.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women have traditionally been excluded from the clinical trial research that takes place before a vaccine is released in the market. That too can contribute to confusion or a lack of clear information for people considering vaccines, said Manca.
Her goal is to better understand the barriers to accessing vaccines so health-care professionals can work towards mitigating them. She hopes to do more research in this area, “to listen to people about what their needs are … and create a more caring health system that better supports people and their access to care.”
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