Content area
Full text
Vaccines play a key role in disease prevention in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that among children born between 1994 and 2023, routine childhood vaccinations will have prevented approximately 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.129 million deaths, at a net savings of $540 billion in direct costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs.1 Thus, vaccine hesitancy is a gripping topic affecting patients and their health outcomes due to concern for increased morbidity and mortality resulting from delayed or refused immunizations.
Vaccine hesitancy is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services.2 In recent years, there has been increased recognition of vaccine hesitancy as a threat to public health, with hesitation rates varying greatly based on the specific vaccine, ranging from 56% for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine to 12% for other vaccines, such as polio.3 Specific vaccination rates and trends are influenced by multiple factors, including the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, social media, equity, and social determinants. Headway has been made to identify key approaches to vaccine hesitancy in health care settings and beyond, although a paucity of literature remains about interventions in the examination room that impact vaccination rates. Ultimately, the WHO Immunization Agenda from 2021 outlined multiple goals to reach by 2030, including aiming for 90% coverage of essential vaccines in childhood and adolescence and a 50% reduction in the number of children missing out on all vaccines.4
The Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
In 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic struck the world, impacting everything from grocery store trips to immunization rates. There was a striking decrease in childhood immunizations during the pandemic, which was influenced by reduced access to health care services, an increased social media presence of antivaccine groups, and growing mistrust of medical organizations.5 When the vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 began distribution, discussions regarding vaccine development, safety, and efficacy were brought to the forefront of conversations.
Antivaccine sentiment that already existed prior to the pandemic had set the stage for worsening vaccine hesitancy. The movement aligned with right-wing politics for more targeted messaging, gained a strong online presence through forums and social...