Vaccine hesitancy
When parents choose not to vaccinate: risks and responsibilities
This resource was adapted from If You Choose Not to Vaccinate Your Child, Understand the Risks and Responsibilities (World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe) and reviewed by the Canadian Paediatric Society's Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. It is a helpful Canadian version that healthcare providers can share with parents and caregivers.
Adult immunization: Communicating with patients
Immunizations are recommended through all stages of life, and are significant to promoting good health. Health care providers can help patients identify which vaccines they need to stay healthy. These slides, offered by Immunize Canada, are designed to assist health care providers when communicating with their adult patients.
L'immunisation des adultes : Communiquer avec vos patients
Les vaccins sont recommandés à tous les stades de la vie. Un professionnel de soins de santé peut aider ses patients à déterminer de quels vaccins ils ont besoin pour rester en bonne santé. Ces diapositives offertes par Immunisation Canada sont conçues pour aider les professionnels de soins de santé avec la communication sur la vaccination de leurs patients adultes.
A Multidisciplinary Research Agenda for Understanding Vaccine-Related Decisions
There is increasingly broad global recognition of the need to better understand determinants of vaccine acceptance. Fifteen social science, communication, health, and medical professionals (the “Motors of Trust in Vaccination” (MOTIV) think tank) explored factors relating to vaccination decision-making as a step to building a multidisciplinary research agenda. One hundred and forty-seven factors impacting decisions made by consumers, professionals, and policy makers on vaccine acceptance, delay, or refusal were identified and grouped into three major categories: cognition and decision-making; groups and social norms; and communication and engagement. These factors should help frame a multidisciplinary research agenda to build an evidence base on the determinants of vaccine acceptance to inform the development of interventions and vaccination policies.
Addressing the vaccine confidence gap
Vaccines – often lauded as one of the greatest public health interventions – are losing public confidence. Some vaccine experts have referred to this decline in confidence as a crisis. We discuss some of the characteristics of the changing global environment that are contributing to increased public questioning of vaccines, and outline some of the specific determinants of public trust. Public decision making related to vaccine acceptance is neither driven by scientific nor economic evidence alone, but is also driven by a mix of psychological, sociocultural, and political factors, all of which need to be understood and taken into account by policy and other decision makers. Public trust in vaccines is highly variable and building trust depends on understanding perceptions of vaccines and vaccine risks, historical experiences, religious or political affiliations, and socioeconomic status. Although provision of accurate, scientifically based evidence on the risk–benefit ratios of vaccines is crucial, it is not enough to redress the gap between current levels of public confidence in vaccines and levels of trust needed to ensure adequate and sustained vaccine coverage. We call for more research not just on individual determinants of public trust, but on what mix of factors are most likely to sustain public trust. The vaccine community demands rigorous evidence on vaccine efficacy and safety and technical and operational feasibility when introducing a new vaccine, but has been negligent in demanding equally rigorous research to understand the psychological, social, and political factors that affect public trust in vaccines.
Survey of Parents on Key Issues Related to Immunization: Executive Summary
Quantitative research was conducted with Canadian parents in order to understand their perceptions and information needs related to childhood immunizations. Telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of 1,745 Canadian parents, screening for those who had at least one child under the age of 18. Interview questions investigated Canadian parents' knowledge, awareness, attitudes and behaviours related to immunization. Findings from this research will be used to inform public education strategies and initiatives.
Survey of Parents on Key Issues Related to Immunization: Final Report
Quantitative research was conducted with Canadian parents in order to understand their perceptions and information needs related to childhood immunizations. Telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of 1,745 Canadian parents, screening for those who had at least one child under the age of 18. Interview questions investigated Canadian parents' knowledge, awareness, attitudes and behaviours related to immunization. Findings from this research will be used to inform public education strategies and initiatives.
A postmodern Pandora's box : anti-vaccination misinformation on the Internet
This paper analyzes the arguments proffered on anti-vaccination websites, determining the extent of misinformation present, and examines discourses used to support vaccine objections. Arguments around the themes of safety and effectiveness, alternative medicine, civil liberties, conspiracy theories, and morality were found on the majority of websites analyzed.
6 common misconceptions about vaccination and how to respond to them
Lists six misconceptions that appear in literature about vaccination, along with explanations of why they are misconceptions.
Systematic review of qualitative studies exploring parental beliefs and attitudes toward childhood vaccination identifies common barriers to vaccination
Determines whether a systematic review of qualitative studies can lead to identification of consistent themes across studies, using barriers toward childhood vaccination as an example.