Phenomenon Of Vaccine Hesitancy Research Articles

Touching the cornerstone: An illustrative example of the effects of stigma and discrimination on vaccine-hesitant parents

ObjectivesThe concept of vaccine hesitancy encompasses multiple views on the subject. However, there has been an increasing polarization of the discourse on vaccine hesitancy leading to the stigmatization of those parents who expressed doubts or concerns regarding vaccination practices. The present study aimed to explore the drivers and consequences of polarized discourses on vaccination in the Portuguese context. This paper is part of a broader study which aims to gain a deeper understanding about the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy at the European level. Study designA qualitative research design was used. MethodsThe sample was comprised of thirty-one Portuguese vaccine hesitant parents who were interviewed. A thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews was performed which allowed us to identify key themes. ResultsThe results showed that the labelling of vaccine-hesitant parents as ‘anti-vaxxers’ along with social media play a crucial role in promoting the polarization of vaccine-related attitudes. The stigmatization of vaccine hesitant parents has a disruptive impact on their social network leading them to search for online platforms where they can exchange vaccines-related information without being discriminated. ConclusionsThe stigma and discrimination experienced by vaccine-hesitant parents stimulated that hesitancy becomes more entrenched. Therefore, pluralism should be used to tailor vaccination promotion campaigns to different targets, promoting its reach and efficacy.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Implications for Economic Recovery: Evidence from Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in South Africa.

The phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy is a growing threat to public health with far-reaching implications. The widening gap between the vaccinated and the proportion of vaccinated people needed for herd immunity raises two critical research questions that are of interest to practitioners, researchers, and policymakers: (1) What determines one's decision to be vaccinated? (2) What is the implication of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for economic recovery? In this study, we use empirical data in the context of South Africa to investigate factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and their implications for economic recovery. Findings reveal key socio-demographic and institutional drivers of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, which include age (the youth are more hesitant), inadequate information on the vaccine (those who perceive they have adequate information are vaccinated), trust issues in government institutions, conspiracy beliefs, vaccine-related factors, and perceived side effects associated with the vaccine. Additionally, an individual's decision to remain hesitant about COVID-19 vaccination has implications for businesses and the economy by limiting movement and trade, increasing unemployment, and causing a resurgence of new variants. Based on the findings, action plans such as information dissemination, convenience vaccination centers, consistent communications, and targeted campaign strategies are recommended for improving vaccine uptake and a positive economic recovery.

How to Defend Mandatory Immunization Against Vaccine Hesitancy and Vaccine Refusal? An Ethical Assessment

One of the basic ethical principles in medical practice is to respect personal autonomy. However, it is a widely accepted view that when it comes to health problems that concern not only the individual but also the society, especially in epidemics of infectious diseases, individual autonomy can be violated by prioritizing the benefit of the community. This view is based on the scientific fact that epidemics can only be controlled by immunizing all susceptible individuals. However, whether all susceptible individuals can be compelled to be immunized remains a matter of debate around the world. Especially in the last three years, during the worldwide Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a significant part of the society has been hesitant about being vaccinated, and some have argued that vaccines should be rejected altogether. In the face of the situation outlined above, the question of "should immunization be mandatory?" has become more important than ever to be able to answer the question in a way that will ensure as broad consensus as possible. In this review article; it was discussed under which conditions mandatory immunization could be justified in terms of ethics and thus, it was aimed to contribute to the solution of the vital problem created by the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy and rejection in terms of public health. To this aim, first of all, the need to clarify some concepts was mentioned. Afterwards, the arguments "must be compulsory", "should be optional", and "should not be done to anyone" were evaluated with their justifications and it was determined that the argument that immunization should be mandatory could be justified in terms of ethics. In the article, it was argued that the conflicts of "individual freedom X community benefit" and "personal autonomy X community benefit" did not exist in today's actual conditions, but it was stated that an individual with the knowledge of reality experiences a tension in the face of not putting this knowledge into practice. It was emphasized that in order to overcome this tension, consolidation of the theoretical background and also consideration of the macro determinants of vaccine hesitancy and rejection in practice were necessary. What needs to be done to re-establish trust in the medical institution was listed, and it was argued that the question of how to implement mandatory immunization could only be answered in a healthy way through a transformation process that will be implemented through a social dialogue.

LB926 COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in a cohort of hidradenitis suppurativa patients

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease manifest as painful nodules, abscesses, and draining sinus tracts (“tunnels”). Numerous studies of SARS-CoV-2 and currently available mRNA vaccines have been published in recent months, including investigations into the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy. However, the rationality driving COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has not yet been thoroughly explored or described in patients with HS. Methods: An IRB-retrospective chart review and telephone survey of patients receiving care at Einstein/Montefiore HS Center (MMC-HSC) were conducted between September-December 2021.

The Network of Services for COVID-19 Vaccination in Persons With Mental Disorders: The Italian Social Health System, Its Organization, and Bioethical Issues.

The adoption of restrictive measures aimed at curtailing the spread of SARS-CoV2 has had a harmful impact on socio-affective relationships, while limiting the scope of interventions and activities to promote social inclusion, with considerable negative repercussions for patients with mental disorders. Vaccination has been and will continue to be a valid tool to overcome the barriers of social isolation and to protect the health of this category of patients. In this paper we present an overview of the Italian network of social and healthcare services for COVID-19 vaccination among patients with mental disorders. Some aspects of medical ethics are discussed in order to share good practices for improving the health of this vulnerable group of people. We then consider the measures implemented by the health system in Italy to deal with the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy before addressing the issue of autonomy and restricted access to vaccination points. Finally, we illustrate some of the perspectives already adopted by the Italian system, which may be useful to the global scientific community.

Covid 19 Vaccination Status, Hesitancy and Barriers; A Multicenter Study of Medical Students from Pakistan

Introduction: The key factor to fight with COVID-19 is vaccination for the development of which global stakeholders allocated huge resources. But at the same time many conspiracies arose and a phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy also developed which is restricting a large no of population to be vaccinated. The current study was designed to find out vaccination status of medical students and their families, vaccine hesitancy and barriers they faced in convincing their families to be vaccinated. Methods: Around 1400 students of 4th year and 5th year from 8 medical colleges of Punjab province were invited to participate in this online survey. This Validated Questionnaire consisted of three parts, demographic information, vaccination status and barriers for vaccination. Results: Out of 522 participants, 41.1% were males and 58.6% were females. The mean age of the participants was 22.33 ±1.17 SD. An encouraging finding is that majority of medical students were vaccinated (91%, n=475). Same is the case with their nuclear family members. Majority of medical students have at least tried to convince their family members for vaccination (80%). A significant proportion of participants experienced barriers to convince their nuclear and extended family members. Among these, serious complications/death, clotting episodes, may inject something in body to be controlled by others in future were mention worthy. The phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy is impeding the people from COVID-19 vaccination. Steps must be taken at all levels to curb this cumbersome conspiracy. So, the fantasy of bringing this global calamity to an end could be fulfilled. Conclusion: The study concludes that a significant number of medical students got vaccinated and also tried to convince their nuclear and extended families. However, the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy is impeding the drive for mass vaccination. Apart from the interventions at multiple levels, medical students must be encouraged and directed to play their role for community awareness. Keywords: Covid 19, vaccination status, hesitancy, barriers, medical students.

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare professionals: ethical perspectives

Following the availability of new vaccines against COVID-19, in 2021, some countries introduced mandatory vaccination for healthcare professionals caring for patients and frail people. This work highlights the principles of public ethics which, reinforced by some fundamental ethical precepts, make mandatory vaccination legally acceptable. However, there are also problems, linked to the presence of the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy among health professionals, in low percentages but with high incidence. In the context of the care relationship, the ethical tension between the autonomy claimed by the healthcare provider and the patient’s right to safety emerges. Vaccination does not provide absolute protection, but it makes an important contribution to the safety of the care environment. We believe that mandatory vaccination of healthcare professionals is compatible with the ethical precept of protecting the health of the community and the patients entrusted to their care. Individual freedom cannot increase the risk of patients. The ethical perspective suggests that public decision-makers should encourage spontaneous adherence to vaccines as much as possible and adopt the strategy of progressive intervention, inspired by the principle of proportionality.

The SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Hesitancy Among the General Population: A Large Cross-Sectional Study From Kuwait.

Although the approved COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe and effective, multiple beliefs and misconceptions still exist influencing the vaccine uptake rates around the world. The multifaceted complex phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy could jeopardize the efforts to overcome this pandemic. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence and examine the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in Kuwait. This is a web-based cross-sectional study conducted in Kuwait from March 2021 until April 2021, during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our questionnaire examined basic demographic information, attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines as well as reasons for and against accepting the vaccine. Out of the 2345 responders, the majority are fully convinced to take the vaccine (83%) and the rate of vaccine hesitancy is 17%. Vaccine hesitancy is higher among non-healthcare workers, those previously positive for the COVID-19 virus, and those against vaccines in general. Vaccine hesitancy could jeopardize the efforts to overcome this pandemic; therefore, intensifying nationwide education and dismissal of falsified information is an essential step towards addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Risk, Trust, and Flawed Assumptions: Vaccine Hesitancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The pace at which the present pandemic and future public health crises involving viral infections are eradicated heavily depends on the availability and routine implementation of vaccines. This process is further affected by a willingness to vaccinate, embedded in the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy. The World Health Organization has listed vaccine hesitancy among the greatest threats to global health, calling for research to identify the factors associated with this phenomenon.Methods: The present cross-sectional study seeks to investigate the psychological, contextual, and sociodemographic factors associated with vaccination hesitancy in a large sample of the adult population. 4,571 Norwegian adults were recruited through an online survey between January 23 to February 2, 2021. Subgroup analyzes and multiple logistic regression was utilized to identify the covariates of vaccine hesitancy.Results: Several subgroups hesitant toward vaccination were identified, including males, rural residents, and parents with children below 18 years of age. No differences were found between natives and non-natives, across education or age groups. Individuals preferring unmonitored media platforms (e.g., information from peers, social media, online forums, and blogs) more frequently reported hesitance toward vaccination than those relying on information obtainment from source-verified platforms. Perceived risk of vaccination, belief in the superiority of natural immunity, fear concerning significant others being infected by the virus, and trust in health officials' dissemination of vaccine-related information were identified as key variables related to vaccine hesitancy.Conclusion: Given the heterogeneous range of variables associated with vaccine hesitancy, additional strategies to eradicate vaccination fears are called for aside from campaigns targeting the spread of false information. Responding to affective reactions in addition to involving other community leaders besides government and health officials present promising approaches that may aid in combating vaccination hesitation.

Anti-vaccination: A global threat

The phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy in parents is growing. What might this mean for the future health of populations in the UK and worldwide?

Misinformation on vaccination: A quantitative analysis of YouTube videos

ABSTRACTIn Italy, the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy has increased with time and represents a complex problem that requires a continuous monitoring. Misinformation on media and social media seems to be one of the determinants of the vaccine hesitancy since, for instance, 42.8 percent of Italian citizens used the internet to obtain vaccine information in 2016.This article reports a quantitative analysis of 560 YouTube videos related to the link between vaccines and autism or other serious side effects on children.The analysis revealed that most of the videos were negative in tone and that the annual number of uploaded videos has increased during the considered period, that goes from 27 December 2007 to 31 July 2017, with a peak of 224 videos in the first seven months of 2017.These findings suggest that the public institutions should be more engaged in establishing a web presence in order to provide reliable information, answers, stories, and videos so to respond to questions of the public about vaccination. These actions could be useful to allow citizens to make informed decisions about vaccines so to comply with vaccination regulations.

Challenges of Vaccinations in the Era of New Media Communication.

Active discussions are underway on whether or not the absence or insufficiency of communication is a decisive factor affecting hesitancy with regard to vaccines. Low-quality services such as insufficient communication can lead to an increase in the population postponing vaccinations in countries without deficiencies in vaccine procurement. This study examines the strategies and tasks of health communication in relation to vaccinations. Social networking services (SNSs) are major channels of health communication in responding to infectious diseases. New videos posted on the Internet attract considerable amounts of attention from SNS users and increase traffic to certain Web sites. However, most of these videos are produced and uploaded by nonexperts. Although medical institutions have striven to convey key messages concerning infectious diseases to the public, in the SNS space, contents differing from scientific evidence acknowledged as the established theory have been disseminated as well. Social networking services can also amplify any unnecessary anxiety about infectious diseases. In addition, as false information about vaccines is circulated or conflicting information surfaces, the confusion of the general public is aggravated and the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy can be intensified. Therefore, it is necessary to improve vaccination acceptance through strategies that integrate new and old media. At the same time, we need to establish customized public health education for the public, vulnerable groups, and experts.