Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.9
3.4
Journals
Vaccines
Special Issues
Promoting Vaccination in Primary Care
share announcement

Promoting Vaccination in Primary Care

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Vaccines and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1923

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zoi Tsimtsiou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Hygiene, Social-Preventive Medicine and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: public health; primary health care; health promotion; vaccination hesitancy; quality of healthcare
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to contribute to a Special Issue focused on the factors influencing efforts to promote vaccination within primary care settings.

Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions, yet increasing vaccination coverage remains a significant challenge worldwide. Primary care (PC) professionals play a crucial role in promoting vaccine confidence and coverage within the communities that they serve. It is essential to understand the views and needs of PC professionals, as well as the challenges that they face, regarding vaccination. Additionally, to increase vaccination coverage in primary care, it is necessary to understand community members’ notions about immunization and the factors that may influence their vaccination behavior. This Special Issue will compile studies that provide a comprehensive understanding of the various factors influencing vaccination coverage in primary care settings. We invite you to submit relevant quantitative and qualitative studies or reviews that contribute to effective interventions promoting vaccination in primary care worldwide.

Kind regards,

Dr. Zoi Tsimtsiou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vaccination
  • primary care
  • general practice
  • family medicine
  • interventions
  • health promotion
  • public health

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 286 KB  
Article
Building on Vaccine Confidence in the Aftermath of the Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Primary Care Physicians
by Ilias Pagkozidis, Georgios Papazisis, Stamatina Driva, Anna-Bettina Haidich and Zoi Tsimtsiou
Vaccines 2026, 14(5), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14050415 - 4 May 2026
Viewed by 377
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s attitudes and stances towards adult vaccination, as perceived by frontline primary care physicians (PCPs), as well as their proposed strategies to boost vaccine confidence and uptake. Methods: We conducted [...] Read more.
Objectives: We aimed to document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s attitudes and stances towards adult vaccination, as perceived by frontline primary care physicians (PCPs), as well as their proposed strategies to boost vaccine confidence and uptake. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 PCPs, recruited via purposive and snowball sampling from urban, semi-urban, rural and island regions of Greece. Interviews conducted from January to June 2025 were transcribed verbatim, anonymized and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: PCPs’ views on the impact of the pandemic were conflicting. The pandemic reportedly elevated the importance and necessity of adult immunization, brought immunizations into the patient–PCP agenda, and increased trust in PCPs as well as the uptake of other preventive services. Yet PCPs also underscored the increased difficulty in communicating vaccinations and the spillover hesitancy to vaccines. To strengthen vaccine confidence, PCPs proposed invigorating the public’s health literacy, recommending vaccinations at any PCP–patient encounter, strengthening health workers’ training regarding immunizations and introducing effective health policies on incentives, reinforced PHC services, digital health tools and vaccination sites. Conclusions: Despite heterogenous data on the impact of the pandemic on adult immunization, the urgency to address the challenges and seize the post-pandemic opportunities through public health strategies that reflect health workers’ and communities’ needs and values was underscored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Vaccination in Primary Care)
17 pages, 247 KB  
Article
Voices from the Frontline: Understanding the Barriers and Enablers to Vaccination in Aged Care Facilities in Sydney, Australia
by Courtney McGregor, Lisa Maude, Karen Chee, Lauren Tillman, Caitlin Swift, Mark Ferson, Brendan Goodger, Kira Wright and Vicky Sheppeard
Vaccines 2025, 13(11), 1137; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13111137 - 4 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1198
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Vaccination is a critical public health measure for older adults in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). In Australia, COVID-19, influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines are recommended and funded for this group. However, vaccination coverage remains suboptimal, with limited understanding of the underlying [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Vaccination is a critical public health measure for older adults in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). In Australia, COVID-19, influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines are recommended and funded for this group. However, vaccination coverage remains suboptimal, with limited understanding of the underlying causes. Methods: A mixed-methods design explored the enablers and barriers to vaccination from the perspectives of frontline providers, RACF staff, residents and family members. Descriptive statistics were used to quantify the prevalence of perceived enablers and barriers within stakeholder groups. Qualitative data—collected through open-ended questions—were analysed using manual, deductive-iterative coding to identify key themes. Key quotes illustrate the findings. Results: Input was gathered from seven in-reach geriatric staff, 40 general practitioners (GPs), 90 RACF staff, 17 RACF residents, and 84 family members of residents. Results were grouped under four key themes: operational, communication, coordination, and financial. RACF staff identified limited access to vaccination histories as the most significant barrier and relied on external providers to upload data to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). On-site clinics were essential, but organisational policies prevented nurse-led vaccination of residents. Most RACFs stored only influenza vaccines and depended on external providers for others. Simplified, translated information was called for. Healthcare provider and RACF endorsement was valued, but RACF staff felt ill-equipped to handle conversations around vaccine hesitancy. Consent processes were burdensome, and responsibility for tracking vaccination schedules was unclear with calls for streamlined processes. Low provider remuneration was also noted, with calls for increased government support. Conclusions: This work identifies key enablers and barriers to resident vaccination in RACFs. Improving delivery requires organisational policy change, staff support, digital access, and continued advocacy. Analysis of targeted interventions and coverage will be reported separately. The approach is replicable for other vulnerable groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Vaccination in Primary Care)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop