“The needle is already ready to go”: communities’ and health care professionals’ perceptions of routine vaccination in Nunavik, Canada

• Published in: International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• Main Authors: Eve Dubé, Marie-Pierre Renaud, Marie-Claude Lyonnais, Catherine Pelletier, Christopher Fletcher
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 1481
• Subjects: Vaccination; experiences; Inuit; socio-ecological model; qualitative research; infectious diseases prevention; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Canada; Nunavik; The Needle; Circumpolar Health; International Journal of Circumpolar Health; inuit
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2023.2295042; https://doaj.org/article/cb2c08f607704ec0a2301931fc222dea

ABSTRACTInuit living in the northern region of Nunavik continue to experience significant health inequalities, which are rooted in colonialism that still have repercussions on their health-related perceptions and practices, including vaccination. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and determinants of routine vaccination among the Inuit of Nunavik by describing factors influencing vaccination decisions from the perspective of community members and health professionals. Semi-structured interviews focusing on the perception of vaccination and experience with vaccination and health services were conducted with 18 Inuit and 11 non-Inuit health professionals. Using the socio-ecological model, factors acting at the community and public policy (e.g. rumours and misinformation about vaccination, language barrier), organisational (e.g. complexity of the vaccination process, staff turnover, lack of specialised vaccination workers and interpreters), and intrapersonal and interpersonal (e.g. past experiences with vaccination, vaccine attitudes, social norms) levels were identified as having an impact on vaccination decisions. Improving vaccination coverage in Nunavik requires a more global reflection on how to improve and culturally adapt the health care and services offered to the Inuit population.