To understand vaccine acceptance with a focus on existing and coming opportunities for maternal vaccination to protect newborn in Sweden and New Zeeland - a collaboration with University of Otago

We will conduct a joint study on enablers and barriers to recommended vaccination uptake among pregnant women and further explore preferences for new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) interventions for newborn.

Given the high disease burden, there is a clear need for RSV interventions for newborns to be introduced in Sweden and New Zeeland.

Findings will be of importance for successful implementation of these interventions in both settings to increase newborn health.Further we will design joint future studies in identified priority groups for improved vaccine uptake among elderly, migrants and health care workers.

With increased knowledge of the enablers and barriers for vaccination there is a possibility to target appropriate interventions to improve equitable uptake and thereby protection from disease.

These findings are of importance to public health and pandemic preparedness in both Sweden and New Zeeland.The proposed research stay at University of Otago will provide an opportunity to collaborate with some of the most experienced researcher within the field of vaccination uptake among minority populations.

The program will include holding lectures and workshops, designing new studies, participating in data collection in minority populations in a new setting, performing joint analysis, results discussions, knowledge and experience sharing and write up and dissemination of results.

Thereby I expect to gain valuable insights, new knowledge and further experience within the research field of vaccination uptake.

This will contribute to strengthening the research field at Uppsala University and provide timely novel empirical data on preferences for RSV interventions to inform successful implementation in Sweden and New Zeeland and protect newborn health.