Vaccine hesitancy: Definition, scope and determinants

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 33; no. 34; pp. 4161 - 4164
• Main Author: MacDonald, Noni E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 14.08.2015; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Behavior; Conflicts of interest; Decision making; Disease control; Funding; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hesitancy determinants; Hesitancy determinants matrix; Humans; Immunization; Mortality; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Compliance; Public access; Treatment Refusal; Vaccination - psychology; Vaccination hesitancy; Vaccine hesitancy; Vaccines; WHO; Working groups; World Health Organization; Hesitancy determinants; Vaccination hesitancy; Vaccine hesitancy; Hesitancy determinants matrix; WHO
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.036

Abstract The SAGE Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy concluded that vaccine hesitancy refers to delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite availability of vaccination services. Vaccine hesitancy is complex and context specific, varying across time, place and vaccines. It is influenced by factors such as complacency, convenience and confidence. The Working Group retained the term ‘vaccine’ rather than ‘vaccination’ hesitancy, although the latter more correctly implies the broader range of immunization concerns, as vaccine hesitancy is the more commonly used term. While high levels of hesitancy lead to low vaccine demand, low levels of hesitancy do not necessarily mean high vaccine demand. The Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix displays the factors influencing the behavioral decision to accept, delay or reject some or all vaccines under three categories: contextual, individual and group, and vaccine/vaccination-specific influences.