Healthcare Professionals’ Emotions of Distance and Connection When Dealing With Patients’ Vaccine Hesitancy: Interaction Styles, Values, and Implications

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a primary role in the delivery of population-based vaccination programs. Their emotional well-being can influence the quality of their relationships with patients and generally the outcome of their consultations. This qualitative study sought to identify the types of emotions that HCPs feel during conversations with vaccine-hesitant patients and their styles of interaction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between June and November 2022 with 41 HCPs (mainly general practitioners and nurses) responsible for vaccinating patients: 23 in England and 18 in France. Framework analysis showed that participants reported numerous emotions, some associated with connection to patients (such as self-confidence and satisfaction) and others with distance (including anger, frustration, unease, and exhaustion). We identified four clusters of emotions reported together when reflecting on interactions with vaccine-hesitant patients: “self-confidence and emotional empathy” (satisfaction, sadness regarding the patient’s situation); “anxiety and insecurity” (doubts about skills, concern for the patients); “exhaustion and weariness” (feeling of incompetence, nervousness); and “discredit and frustration” (feeling discredited, anger). Three styles of interaction were identified: most HCPs reassured and encouraged patients to get vaccinated (“patient-centered” style), some sought to convince them (“adamant” style), and some to inform them without discussion (“detached” style). In our study, HCPs describing a patient-centered interaction style emphasized emotions of connection more than of distance in their discourse, in contrast to those describing an adamant or detached style. Our results suggest that training programs offered to HCPs involved in vaccination discussions should consider the importance of emotions associated with vaccine discussions.