Vaccination Hesitation: Investigation Why Parents Decline Pediatric Influenza Vaccines in Juneau, Alaska

The influenza virus is responsible for hundreds of childhood deaths and costs the health care system millions of dollars each year (Hassan, Lewis, Davis, Gebremariam, and Dombkowski, 2009). The influenza vaccine is the most effective intervention for prevention of pediatric influenza, yet many parents decline this vaccine for their children. Studies completed in various geographic locations cite different factors influencing parents who decline pediatric vaccinations. Alaska has the second lowest rate of influenza vaccination in the country (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2012). The purpose of this project was to understand the factors that influence parental decision to refuse influenza vaccination in Juneau, Alaska. A modified version of the Childhood Influenza Immunization Questionnaire, an instrument based on the Health Belief Model, was utilized to collect data from a convenience sample of parents at a private pediatric practice in Juneau, AK. Statistical analysis revealed the only significant influencing factor on parents’ decisions on whether to vaccinate against influenza was their perception of vaccine risk (p < .001). Information obtained from this study will be used to educate local providers in the community with the goal of enabling said providers to overcome resistance to vaccination hesitancy based on parent perceptions

Consumer Reaction to the «Flavour Group Concept» to introduce Scab Resistant Apple Varieties into the Market. «Variety-Teams» as a Further Development of the Concept

A tool to ease the market introduction of scab resistant apple varieties in supermarkets, is the so-called «Flavour Group Concept (FGC; Weibel and Grab, 2000) that has been developed by FiBL and «Coop» (second biggest supermarket retailer of Switzerland) already in 1995. The FGC is providing to the buyers additional information on the specific flavour direction of that "unknown" apple cultivar in front of them (mild to sweet; spicy-tart; predominantly tart). In 2002 a consumer behaviour study was undertaken by «IHA/GfK-Switzerland» Institute to evaluate the consumer response to the FGC. The results reveal that 36 % of the persons interviewed at the point of sale considered additional information on the flavour direction of the apple cultivars as «important» and 40 % as «very important». Information on flavour direction was considered as the second important information at the shelf (59 % score), compared to the general presentation of the apples with 78 % score. On basis of these positive results, Coop introduced the FGC also for conventional apples. One year later, also the biggest supermarket retailer of Switzerland «Migros»introduced a FGC for organic and conventional apples. To develop further the FGC, in the year 2002, a consortium of the supermarket chain Coop Switzerland, organic apple growers, retailers and FiBL experts joined together in a so called «Variety Team». There, in contrast to Variety Clubs, the focus is not a particular variety but the active creation and promotion of an attractive assortment of scab resistant apple varieties in a well co-ordinated and thus for growers and retailers most efficient way. Investments and risks are evenly shared between the Team Partners. The first cultivar promoted is «Ecolette»