Vacinação infantil contra a COVID-19 na tríplice fronteira: entre a aceitação e a hesitação

• Ano de defesa: 2025
• Autor(a) principal: Bernardi, Angela Sobral
• Orientador(a): Silva-Sobrinho, Reinaldo Antonio
• Banca de defesa: Magnabosco, Gabriela , Fabriz, Luciana Aparecida
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná; Foz do Iguaçu
• Programa de Pós-Graduação: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública em Região de Fronteira
• Departamento: Centro de Educação Letras e Saúde
• País: Brasil
• Palavras-chave em Português: Hesitação vacinal; Percepção; Vacinação; COVID-19
• Palavras-chave em Inglês: Vaccine hesitancy; Perception; Vaccination; COVID-19
• Palavras-chave em Espanhol: Hesitación vacunal; Percepción; Vacunación; COVID-19
• Área do conhecimento CNPq: SAUDE COLETIVA::SAUDE PUBLICA
• Link de acesso: https://tede.unioeste.br/handle/tede/8172

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed structural vulnerabilities in public health and intensified the decline in childhood vaccination coverage in Brazil, within a scenario marked by the spread of misinformation, the politicization of health measures, and territorial inequalities. In the tri-border region between Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, these vulnerabilities were amplified by intense population mobility, the coexistence of divergent health narratives, and the sociocultural complexity of the territory. This study analyzed the factors determining vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers of children living in Foz do Iguaçu, in order to understand how perceptions, experiences, and access conditions influenced decisions regarding childhood immunization against COVID-19. A qualitative approach was adopted, based on semi-structured interviews submitted to lexical and thematic analysis. The findings showed that trust in health institutions, the influence of social media, the perception of low risk of COVID-19 in children, and logistical barriers to access were central components of hesitancy. The results also indicated that parents often projected their own vaccination experiences and concerns onto decisions about their children, reinforcing fears related to vaccine safety and potential adverse effects. The study concluded that childhood vaccine hesitancy in the tri-border area was shaped by the interaction of informational, subjective, and structural factors within a particularly vulnerable cross-border context. Clear and culturally sensitive communication strategies, combined with improved access and strengthened institutional trust, proved essential to increase adherence to vaccination and enhance protection among the child population.