JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Due to limited resources, several important vaccines have not been included in China’s National Immunization Program (NIP).

Objective:

This study aimed to identify public preferences for vaccine inclusion in the NIP and to determine the desired vaccine funding priorities in the Chinese population.

Methods:

A dual-response discrete choice experiment was utilized to estimate the relative importance of six attributes, including incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, mortality of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine effectiveness, vaccine cost, vaccinated group, and vaccine coverage. The mixed logit model was used to estimate the coefficient of attribute preferences and predict the selection probability. Subgroups and interaction effects were analyzed to examine the heterogeneity in preferences.

Results:

In total, 1258 participants completed the survey, of which 880 were involved in the main analysis. Differences in participant preferences were observed between the unforced- and forced-choice settings. All six vaccine attributes significantly influenced the preferences for vaccine inclusion, with vaccine effectiveness and coverage as the most important factors, followed by the vaccinated group and mortality of vaccine-preventable diseases in the unforced-choice settings. The top vaccines recommended for China’s NIP included varicella vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine, enterovirus 71 vaccine, and influenza vaccine for preschoolers and school-aged children. The current analysis also revealed distinct preference patterns among various populations.

Conclusions:

Public preferences for including vaccines in the NIP were primarily influenced by vaccine effectiveness and coverage. The varicella vaccine should be prioritized for inclusion in the NIP. The public preferences could provide valuable insights when incorporating new vaccines in the NIP.