Public Health Research

2

Public Health Research

Jasmine Fields

Columbia Southern University

PUH 6301 Public Health Research

Dr. Lakina Moseley

March 7, 2023

Vaccine Hesitancy and its Impact on Public Health

Key words

In this perspective, the key words used were "vaccine hesitancy," "vaccine acceptance," "anti-vaccination," "COVID-19," "social media," and "public health." These terms are all related to the topic of vaccine hesitancy and its impact on public health. By searching for articles that include these key terms, I was able to find relevant literature that discussed the various aspects of vaccine hesitancy and its implications on public health.

Sources/ Databases

To locate the three scholarly articles related to vaccine hesitancy, I used various sources and databases. Firstly, I searched for relevant keywords such as "vaccine hesitancy," "public health," and "COVID-19" on Google Scholar, a comprehensive database of scholarly literature. I also used PubMed, a free search engine that provides access to MEDLINE, a database of biomedical research articles, to find relevant articles. In addition, I utilized the library database of my academic institution, which includes a variety of scholarly resources such as journals, books, and databases. I specifically searched for articles related to vaccine hesitancy and public health in peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, I consulted the references section of each article to identify additional sources and databases that could be relevant. By using a combination of these resources, I was able to locate and access the three scholarly articles related to vaccine hesitancy and its impact on public health.

Summary of the three articles

The three scholarly articles on vaccine hesitancy reveal the trends, prospects, and impacts of vaccine hesitancy on public health. Dubé et al. (2021) present an overview of vaccine hesitancy, acceptance, and anti-vaccination movements. The authors observe that vaccine hesitancy is a complex and evolving phenomenon that requires a multifaceted approach to address it. They explore the factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy, including misinformation, mistrust of authorities, and individual and societal factors (Dube et al., 2021). Troiano and Nardi (2021) focus on vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss the factors that have led to vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic, such as the rapid development of vaccines and the politicization of vaccination campaigns. They argue that vaccine hesitancy is a significant public health concern during the pandemic and that addressing it is critical to achieving herd immunity and ending the pandemic. The authors suggest that tailored interventions should address the specific concerns of different groups, such as healthcare workers, older adults, and marginalized populations (Troiano & Nardi, 2021). Wilson and Wiysonge (2020) explore the role of social media in vaccine hesitancy. They argue that social media has contributed to the spread of vaccine hesitancy by allowing the rapid dissemination of misinformation and anti-vaccination messages.

The authors review the evidence on the impact of social media on vaccine hesitancy and highlight the importance of addressing misinformation and promoting accurate information about vaccines (Wiysonge, 2020). Comparing and contrasting these three articles reveals some common themes and differences in their approaches to vaccine hesitancy. All three articles emphasize the importance of tailored interventions that address specific concerns, beliefs, and attitudes towards vaccination. They also highlight the need to address misinformation and mistrust of authorities to build vaccine confidence. However, the articles differ in their focus, with Dubé et al. (2021) providing a broad overview of vaccine hesitancy, while Troiano and Nardi (2021) and Wilson and Wiysonge (2020) focus on vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of social media in contributing to vaccine hesitancy, respectively.

References

Dubé, È., Ward, J. K., Verger, P., & MacDonald, N. E. (2021). Vaccine hesitancy, acceptance, and anti-vaccination: trends and future prospects for public health. Annu Rev Public Health, 42(1), 175-91.

Troiano, G., & Nardi, A. (2021). Vaccine hesitancy in the era of COVID-19. Public health, 194, 245-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2021.02.025

Wilson, S. L., & Wiysonge, C. (2020). Social media and vaccine hesitancy. BMJ global health, 5(10), e004206