Elsevier

Vaccine

Volume 33, Issue 34, 14 August 2015, Pages 4165-4175
Vaccine

Measuring vaccine hesitancy: The development of a survey tool

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.037Get rights and content
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open access

Abstract

In March 2012, the SAGE Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy was convened to define the term “vaccine hesitancy”, as well as to map the determinants of vaccine hesitancy and develop tools to measure and address the nature and scale of hesitancy in settings where it is becoming more evident.

The definition of vaccine hesitancy and a matrix of determinants guided the development of a survey tool to assess the nature and scale of hesitancy issues. Additionally, vaccine hesitancy questions were piloted in the annual WHO-UNICEF joint reporting form, completed by National Immunization Managers globally. The objective of characterizing the nature and scale of vaccine hesitancy issues is to better inform the development of appropriate strategies and policies to address the concerns expressed, and to sustain confidence in vaccination.

The Working Group developed a matrix of the determinants of vaccine hesitancy informed by a systematic review of peer reviewed and grey literature, and by the expertise of the working group. The matrix mapped the key factors influencing the decision to accept, delay or reject some or all vaccines under three categories: contextual, individual and group, and vaccine-specific. These categories framed the menu of survey questions presented in this paper to help diagnose and address vaccine hesitancy.

Keywords

Vaccine hesitancy
Vaccination hesitancy
Survey tool
Measurement

Cited by (0)

1

Member of SAGE Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy.

2

Members of SAGE Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy are listed in Appendix D.