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Review
. 2013 Aug;9(8):1763-73.
doi: 10.4161/hv.24657. Epub 2013 Apr 12.

Vaccine hesitancy: an overview

Affiliations
Review

Vaccine hesitancy: an overview

Eve Dubé et al. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2013 Aug.

Abstract

Despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is perceived as unsafe and unnecessary by a growing number of individuals. Lack of confidence in vaccines is now considered a threat to the success of vaccination programs. Vaccine hesitancy is believed to be responsible for decreasing vaccine coverage and an increasing risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks and epidemics. This review provides an overview of the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy. First, we will characterize vaccine hesitancy and suggest the possible causes of the apparent increase in vaccine hesitancy in the developed world. Then we will look at determinants of individual decision-making about vaccination.

Keywords: decision-making; psychosocial factors; review; socio-cultural factors; vaccination; vaccine-hesitancy.

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Figures

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Figure 1. Conceptual model of Vaccine Hesitancy. Adapted from the Schema summary of discussions held during the Workshop on the cultural and religious roots of vaccine hesitancy: Explanations and implications for the Canadian healthcare. Accessible online: http://www.usherbrooke.ca/dep-sciences-sante-communautaire/fileadmin/sites/dep-sciences-sante-communautaire/documents/HesitationVaccination/AfficheMG-anglais.pdf

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