From Google Scholar & other sources: Selected Journal Articles, Newsletters, Dissertations, Theses, Commentary

Clinical Journal of Pain
Psychological interventions for vaccine injections in children and adolescents: systematic review of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials
Birnie, Kathryn A. BA(Hons), PhD Candidate; Chambers, Christine T. PhD; Taddio, Anna BScPhm, MSc, PhD; McMurtry, C. Meghan PhD, C Psych; Noel, Melanie PhD; Pillai Riddell, Rebecca PhD, C Psych; Shah, Vibhuti MD, MSc; HELPinKids&Adults Team
Abstract
Background:
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of psychological interventions for reducing vaccination pain and related outcomes in children and adolescents.
Design/Methods:
Database searches identified relevant randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials. Data were extracted and pooled using established methods. Pain, fear, and distress were considered critically important outcomes.
Results:
Twenty-two studies were included; two included adolescents. Findings showed no benefit of false suggestion (n=240) for pain (SMD -0.21 (-0.47, 0.05)) or distress (SMD -0.28 (-0.59, 0.11)), or for use of repeated reassurance (n=82) for pain (SMD -0.18 (-0.92, 0.56)), fear (SMD -0.18 (-0.71, 0.36)), or distress (SMD 0.10 (-0.33, 0.54)). Verbal distraction (n=46) showed reduced distress (SMD -1.22 (-1.87, -0.58)), but not reduced pain (SMD -0.27 (-1.02, 0.47)). Similarly, video distraction (n=328) showed reduced distress (SMD -0.58 (-0.82, -0.34)), but not reduced pain (SMD -0.88 (-1.78, 0.02)) or fear (SMD 0.08 (-0.25, 0.41)). Music distraction demonstrated reduced pain when used with children (n=417) (SMD -0.45 (-0.71, -0.18)), but not with adolescents (n=118) (SMD -0.04 (-0.42, 0.34)). Breathing with a toy (n=368) showed benefit for pain (SMD -0.49 (-0.85, -0.13)), but not fear (SMD -0.60 (-1.22, 0.02); whereas breathing without a toy (n=136) showed no benefit for pain (SMD -0.27 (-0.61, 0.07)) or fear (SMD -0.36 (-0.86, 0.15)). There was no benefit for a breathing intervention (cough) in children and adolescents (n=136) for pain (SMD -0.17 (-0.41, 0.07)).
Conclusions:
Psychological interventions with some evidence of benefit in children include: verbal distraction, video distraction, music distraction, and breathing with a toy.

Psycho-Oncology
‘I didn’t even know boys could get the vaccine’: Parents’ reasons for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination decision making for their sons
Samara Perez1,2,*, Gilla K. Shapiro1,2, Christopher A. Brown2, Eve Dube6, Gina Ogilvie7,8 and
Zeev Rosberger1,2,3,4,5
Article first published online: 7 JUL 2015
DOI: 10.1002/pon.3894
Abstract
Objective
The study’s objective was to examine parents’ reasons for their decision to vaccinate their 9–16-year-old sons with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
Methods
Using the precaution adoption process model (PAPM), parents were classified according to one of six stages of decision making: unaware, unengaged, undecided, decided not to vaccinate, decided to vaccinate, or vaccinated. Parents responded to an open-ended question: ‘What would influence your decision to have your son vaccinated or not against HPV?’
Results
Three thousand one hundred and seventeen parents provided 2,874 interpretable narrative responses that were coded using thematic content analyses. The majority of parents were in the earlier precaution adoption process model stages, that is, unaware that the HPV vaccine could be given to boys (57.0%), unengaged (20.9%), or undecided (9.1%). Needing more information, vaccine cost, risks associated with vaccination, and wanting a doctor’s recommendation influenced these earlier-staged parents’ decisions. Parents who decided not to vaccinate their sons (6.8%) reported their decision was due to the risks, insufficient research, lack of confidence in vaccines, and/or no need for the vaccine (as their sons are not sexually active and/or too young). Parents who had decided to vaccinate their sons (5.0%) or who had vaccinated their sons (1.1%) reported that their decisions were based on protecting their sons’ health and preventing disease.
Conclusion
There are important differences in the factors that influence parents’ decision depending on where they are along the decision-making trajectory. Assuring that parents are well informed about the importance of male vaccination, reducing vaccine cost, accurately communicating vaccine safety, and improving patient–provider communication may augment vaccine coverage and prevent HPV-associated cancers in Canada.