Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40211704›Full record

ArticleQualitative health research2026

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

Emeline Brosset, Emma Anderson, Amanda Garrison, Dawn Holford, Harriet Fisher, Patrick Peretti-Watel, Stephan Lewandowsky, Pierre Verger

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Qualitative health research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Emeline BrossetORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory (Observatoire Régional de la Santé), Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Marseille, France.
Emma AndersonNational Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation (BSE), Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Amanda GarrisonORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory (Observatoire Régional de la Santé), Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Marseille, France.
Dawn HolfordSchool of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6392-3991
Harriet FisherNational Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation (BSE), Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5639-0955
Patrick Peretti-WatelORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory (Observatoire Régional de la Santé), Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Marseille, France.
Stephan LewandowskySchool of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Pierre VergerORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory (Observatoire Régional de la Santé), Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0002-0339-0679

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

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.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelEmotionsHealth PersonnelProfessional-Patient RelationsPsychological DistanceVaccinationVaccination HesitancyAdultEnglandFemaleFranceHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchemotionsHCPs; HCP trainingqualitative methodsvaccine communicationvaccine hesitancy

Identifiers

PMID40211704
PMCPMC13135647

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.