Book:Behavioural considerations for acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines

 

Behavioural considerations for acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240016927

Resume 1:

Multiple groups influence uptake of vaccination, including political  decision-makers, immunization programme managers, community and religious leaders, health workers, civil society organizations, media outlets and digital platforms (1). TThese actors can facilitate or discourage vaccination by creating more or less enabling environments. It is, therefore, important to consider how the behaviours of actors in the system (for example, those responsible for planning locations offering vaccination or setting clinic opening times) might influence the behaviours of the general population.

Evidence has shown that reducing barriers and making it easy to get vaccinated will increase vaccine uptake, especially for the large proportion of people who are not deliberately avoiding vaccination (8). What might seem to be reluctance or resistance, or even opposition, might actually be a response to the burdens or inconvenience of getting vaccinated.

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240016927

Resume 2:

Predominant narratives in the media can also skew people’s perception of what the majority believe and do (17). For example, anti-vaccine sentiments expressed by relatively small but vocal groups may be promoted, so that they are erroneously seen as capturing a widespread or even majority view

Resume 3:

Supporting health professionals to promote vaccination:Health professionals, including those who are already champions of vaccination, can be equipped with tools to effectively guide communication to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (27). Conversations guided by motivational interviewing, a collaborative method of interaction aimed at exploring people’s real reasons for hesitancy and strengthening their own motivation for change, can facilitate vaccination (5). 

Recommendations from providers have also been shown to be more effective when the opportunity to get vaccinated is presented as an expectation (the default) rather than an option – i.e., presuming that people will want vaccination (28). 

• Amplifying endorsements from trusted community members: 

An important role can be played by members of the community who are well respected, and who can connect with the group’s identity and self-understanding. If endorsers share similar values and characteristics with the relevant group (such as religious or ethnic identity), they are more likely to be influential (29). 

Endorsement of a COVID-19 vaccine by prominent scientists has also been found to increase trust in the vaccine (30)

Resume 4:

Motivation to get vaccinated is usually the result of a combination of factors, such as perceived risk and severity of infection (31), confidence in vaccines (32), values and emotions (33). While motivation to get vaccinated can also be influenced by environmental and social contexts, the focus of this section is on motivational factors themselves.

Resume 5:

Vaccine acceptance and uptake may also be undermined by COVID-19 vaccines being not fully effective, meaning that people will have to continue to engage in preventive behaviour (e.g. mask-wearing and physical distancing) even if and after they have been vaccinated. It will be important to manage expectations and ensure that those who have been vaccinated do not stop adhering to protective behaviours and expose themselves and others to risk (48).

Resume 6:

As shown above, there are individual and group differences: some may be hesitant toward vaccination due to beliefs that they have a low risk of infection, others may have concerns about the safety of vaccines, while others may be hesitant because of religious values or lack of trust in the health system (25, 49).

Resume 7:

Below are some strategies to tackle motivational barriers to vaccine acceptance and uptake: 

1) Building timely trust in vaccines: ; 

2)Leveraging anticipated regret in communications:; 

3)• Emphasizing the social benefits of vaccination: ;

Conclusion:

Behavioural research has shown that vaccine acceptance and uptake can be increased by adopting the three strategies below. 

• Creating an enabling environment – making vaccination easy, quick and affordable, in all relevant respects.

• Harnessing social influences – especially from people who are particularly trusted by and identified with members of relevant communities.

• Increasing motivation – through open and transparent dialogue and communication about uncertainty and risks, including around the safety and benefits of vaccination.