Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal: History, Causes, Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Vaccine hesitancyVaccine, hesitancy, referred to as the refusalVaccine, refusal or delayed uptake of vaccinationsVaccination despite their availability, is one of the ten biggest current threats to global healthHealth as declared by the WorldWorld Health Organization. Mistrust and outright hostility towards immunization are not recent phenomena: through the course of history, the development of new vaccinationsVaccination has proceeded side-by-side with the spread of movementsMovement opposing them. The first part of this chapter recounts the salient points of the history of immunizationImmunization, history. It provides insight into the commonalities and differences between anti-vaccinationAnti-vaccination movements arising in different times and places. The historical outline is followed by an evaluation of the socioeconomic, psychological, cultural, and political factors that determine vaccine hesitancyVaccine, hesitancy. The final section draws on the previous two to discuss evidence-based strategiesStrategies, evidence-based and interventionsIntervention to mitigate the extent and impact of vaccine hesitancyVaccine, hesitancy and refusalVaccine, refusal.