Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) can cause pregnancy loss and congenital Zika syndrome, among other poor health outcomes. The ZIKV epidemic in 2015–2017 disproportionately affected pregnant women in poor-resource settings. We aimed to understand perceptions and attitudes towards a hypothetical ZIKV vaccine, women’s willingness to be vaccinated, and potential barriers and facilitators for vaccine acceptance in 1) migrant women living in Spain who travelled to their countries of origin and were diagnosed with ZIKV infection during pregnancy, and their healthcare providers, and 2) women living in Colombia who delivered a child with microcephaly. An exploratory qualitative study based on phenomenology and grounded theory was conducted. Data were collected through in-depth, paired and semi-structured interviews. Overall, women from both sites were willing to receive a hypothetical ZIKV vaccine. However, some expressed concerns of being vaccinated during pregnancy, yet they would accept it if the vaccine was recommended by a healthcare professional they trust. Main fears towards vaccination were related to vaccine safety and potential adverse effects on child’s health. Women reported feeling hesitant to participate in a ZIKV vaccine trial. These results may contribute to guiding the effective delivery of future ZIKV vaccines among populations most at risk and particularly vulnerable.
Highlights
The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic spread worldwide during 2015 and 2017, disproportionately affecting populations living in countries in Central and South America [1,2]
Study Profile In Spain, seventeen women with confirmed or probable ZIKV infection during pregnancy were enrolled in the study; twelve women in the in-depth Interviews (IDI), and five women in the paired interviews (PI)
Results show a high acceptability of a potential ZIKV vaccine indicated by willingness to be vaccinated among women who had a previous experience with ZIKV
Summary
The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic spread worldwide during 2015 and 2017, disproportionately affecting populations living in countries in Central and South America [1,2]. ZIKV usually causes a mild disease in immunocompetent adults, but Zika infection during pregnancy has been associated with spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and a wide range of severe neurological congenital anomalies. Interdisciplinarity is essential to understand the toll of carrying a child with ZIKV-related disabilities; the mental health of populations affected by ZIKV, especially of caregivers of children with disabilities, suffering during pregnancy for uncertainties regarding to child health; socio-economic impoverishment due to special care needs; and ZIKV-associated stigma [6,7]. Studies addressing the socio-economic impact of the ZIKV infection among affected families are scarce
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