Vaccination and trust: how concerns arise and the role of communication in mitigating crises

Abstract

Vaccine-safety-related events, and how we respond to them, can affect public trust in vaccines and health authorities. These events may or may not be linked to vaccines and include: adverse events following immunization (‎AEFIs)‎, vaccination programme changes, or events that lead to increased negative public debate on the topic of immunization. The guidance in this library was developed based on lessons learned in countries, as well as scientific evidence and research in the fields of psychology, social and behavioural science, and communication. It is intended to help stakeholders prepare for and avert possible crises, as well as to minimize the negative impacts of any event that has the potential to erode trust. When situations occur in which unwanted events are rightly or wrongly connected with vaccination, they may erode confidence in vaccines and the authorities delivering them. This document presents the scientific evidence behind WHO’s recommendations on building and restoring confidence in vaccines and vaccination, both in ongoing work and during crises. The evidence draws on a vast reserve of laboratory research and fieldwork within psychology and communication. It examines how people make decisions about vaccination; why some people are hesitant about vaccination; and the factors that drive a crisis, covering how building trust, listening to and understanding people, building relations, communicating risk and shaping messages to the audiences may mitigate crises. This document provides a knowledge base for stakeholders who develop communication strategies or facilitate workshops on communication and trust-building activities in relation to vaccines and immunization, such as immunization programme units, ministries of health, public relations and health promotion units, vaccine safety communication trainers and immunization advisory bodies.