Polio survivors' perspectives on vaccine hesitancy: a qualitative interview study

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and recent measles outbreaks have brought the topic of vaccine hesitancy to the forefront of the public imagination. This research sought to understand Canadian polio survivors' perceptions of vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. We interviewed 65 individuals with post-polio syndrome and used NVivo to code the qualitative descriptive analysis. Participants expressed worry regarding the declining rates of childhood vaccine acceptance. All participants championed the polio vaccine and encouraged its universal uptake. Some vaccines (e.g., MMR, diphtheria) were consistently accepted as beneficial. While most interviewees accepted the COVID-19 vaccine, a minority expressed hesitancy. Participants expressed a willingness to share their polio stories to encourage childhood vaccine uptake. Polio survivors are an aging population with lived experience regarding vaccine-preventable disease. Future public health campaigns regarding vaccine uptake should endeavour to include structured engagement with post-polio support groups across Canada and internationally as community vaccine champions. Importantly, vaccine acceptance should be considered as a spectrum, and primary care physicians should be encouraged to review vaccine safety for all vaccines even with patients who express general acceptance. • Polio survivors are motivated to share their stories to encourage vaccine uptake. • Polio survivors express concern about rising vaccine hesitancy. • Vaccine acceptance is not monolithic.