Review of vaccine hesitancy: Rationale, remit and methods

Vaccine. 2015 Aug 14;33(34):4157-60. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.035. Epub 2015 Apr 18.

Abstract

Despite a wide array of safe and effective vaccines in use globally, with major impacts on health worldwide, the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization has been repeatedly confronted with reports of hesitancy towards accepting specific vaccines or vaccination programmes. This paper summarizes the rationale for a SAGE review of the issue of vaccine hesitancy, its impact and ways to address it, and the convening of a Vaccine Hesitancy Working Group in March 2012 to prepare for the SAGE review. It describes the methods used and mode of operations, and advances in the relatively new field of research on vaccine hesitancy. It further elaborates and references the work conducted, including a series of products, conclusions and recommendations that emerged from the SAGE review in October 2014.

Keywords: SAGE; Vaccination hesitancy; Vaccine hesitancy; WHO.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Education
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Immunization Programs*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care*
  • Patient Compliance
  • Treatment Refusal*
  • Vaccination / psychology
  • Vaccines
  • World Health Organization

Substances

  • Vaccines