Sustained impact of motivational interviewing on reducing vaccine hesitancy among postpartum mothers: A randomized control trial, Southeastern France, 2021 to 2022.
Lauriane Ramalli, Chloé Cogordan, Lisa Fressard et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial in two maternity wards in Southeastern France assessed whether motivational interviewing (MI) had a sustained effect on vaccine hesitancy and vaccination intentions among postpartum mothers. A total of 733 mothers were assigned to an MI session delivered by trained midwives or an educational leaflet. At seven months on average, compared with the control group, MI was associated with a 10.1/100-point reduction in hesitancy scores (p < .0001) and a 0.8/10-point increase in vaccination intention scores (p = .01).
Key findings
- At seven months on average, vaccine hesitancy scores were 10.1/100 points lower with MI than with the control intervention (p < .0001).
- Vaccination intention scores were 0.8/10 points higher with MI than with the control intervention at follow-up (p = .01).
- The reported impact of MI was consistent across groups with different perceived financial situations.
Why it matters
Postpartum conversations may offer an opportunity to address parental vaccine concerns. In this trial, a midwife-delivered MI session was associated with lower hesitancy and stronger vaccination intentions than an educational leaflet, with differences still observed at follow-up. These findings add evidence about a communication approach that may support vaccine confidence, while measuring attitudes and intentions rather than vaccination uptake.
What to keep in mind
The study was conducted in two maternity wards in Southeastern France and assessed hesitancy and intentions, not vaccination uptake.