A Systematic Review of Methods to Improve Attitudes Towards Childhood Vaccinations

Abstract

Although measles was eradicated in the United States in 2000, there has been an increasing number of cases. As of April 4, 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 465 cases of measles as compared to 372 in 2018. Pockets of unvaccinated communities and travelers bringing measles from countries with large outbreaks are attributed to the rise in cases in the United States. With the increasing anti-vaccine sentiment, it's imperative to take preventative measures to avoid the proliferation of deadly diseases. The objective of this study was to determine effective techniques to decrease vaccine refusal and increase the childhood vaccination rate. To this effect, a systematic review of English peer-reviewed articles published in the years 2000 to 2019 using Arizona State University's online database was conducted. The titles, abstracts, and discussions for each journal article were screened for methods that promote vaccination. Any articles that included vaccine development, promoting vaccination coverage rate in developing countries, pregnant women, healthcare workers, and animals, and promoting the uptake of vaccines that aren't part of CDC's seven-vaccine series were excluded. A total of nine journal articles were identified, including five systematic reviews, one case study, a randomized controlled trial, a literature review, and a quasi-experimental study. The methods discovered pertained to three themes: technological, mass marketing or campaigning, and direct communication. The Guide to Tailored Immunization Programme (TIP) in conjunction with visually enhanced educational materials and storytelling articles were found to be effective tools in encouraging vaccination coverage. The basis of any strategy is determining the perspective and needs of the target population and tailoring the approaches to match them to alleviate barriers that hinder vaccination uptake. The use of technology perpetuates the efficacy of social marketing strategies, further promoting vaccines and their benefits.

Keywords: anti-vaccination movement; childhood; vaccination.

Figure 1. A bar graph from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website showing the number of measles cases from 2010 to April 4, 2019.

Figure 2. A PRISMA 2009 flow diagram depicting the number of studies included in the qualitative synthesis using the mentioned inclusion and exclusion criteria.