Peer-reviewed article
Not Just a Mother’s Responsibility: Gender, Care and Institutional Influences in Parental Vaccine Hesitancy in Russia
Ekaterina Borozdina ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This article looks at why some mothers in Russia hesitate to vaccinate their children. It draws on qualitative interviews with vaccine-hesitant mothers. It finds that decisions are not made by mothers alone, because other family members share responsibility for vaccination-related care. It also places these decisions within Russian healthcare and childcare institutions, which mix market-style ideas of individual responsibility with older socialist practices and strong state control.
Key points
- Responsibility for children's health is often seen as a mother's individual choice, which is considered a key factor behind vaccine hesitancy in Western countries.
- Among Russian vaccine-hesitant mothers, vaccination responsibilities are shared with other family members.
- Behind seemingly individualistic mothering lies a network of care and family commitment that shapes vaccination decisions.
- Institutions that promote individual health responsibility without consistently supporting it fuel parental distrust in vaccination.
- Family involvement is essential for navigating unstable welfare environments.
Limitations
Only the abstract is available, so the number of interviewees, how they were chosen and their backgrounds are unknown. As a qualitative study it cannot show how common these patterns are or whether they affect vaccination rates. The metadata country hint (FI) does not match the study's focus on Russia, so Russia (RU) is used.
Abstract
The cultural emphasis on mothers' individual responsibility and choice regarding their children's health is often considered a key factor behind vaccine hesitancy, especially among the middle class in Western countries. Drawing on qualitative interviews with vaccine-hesitant Russian mothers, this article broadens this discussion in two ways. First, it shifts the focus from women as autonomous decision-makers to examining how they share vaccination-related responsibilities with other family members. Second, it situates these dynamics within Russian healthcare and childcare-institutional settings where neoliberal trends coexist with socialist legacies and strong state control. The study shows that beneath the surface of responsibilised and seemingly individualistic mothering lies a network of care and familial commitment that frames vaccination decision-making. This is particularly relevant for institutional contexts that promote individual health responsibility without consistently supporting it, thereby fuelling parental distrust in vaccinations and making family involvement essential for navigating volatile welfare environments.