Opportunities for utilizing new technologies to increase vaccine confidence

Abstract

The emergence of new digital technologies has 'disrupted' traditional vaccine information communication. This article reviews the impact of the Internet, social media, digital detection and mobile applications on both fueling anti-vaccine sentiment and providing a mechanism by which to address vaccine hesitancy. While the anti-vaccine community has leveraged the Internet and social media to bypass traditional sources of information and communicate with susceptible parents, digital surveillance and mobile apps offer an important opportunity for public health officials to develop new strategies to identify and address concerns in a real-time manner.

Keywords: digital surveillance; mobile apps; technology; vaccine; vaccine confidence.