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roughly 61 per cent of people are hesitant to receive vaccines because they believe the vaccines are not safe or effective.
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vaccines are used to train the immune system to be better able to fight off pathogens while creating herd immunity among populations to protect against and eradicate certain diseases.
there are several types of vaccines, ranging from annual influenza vaccines to early-life vaccines that may be mandatory in specific settings, such as for children attending school.
a new study conducted by leger has found that, while 74 per cent of canadians still have some trust in vaccines, the past five years have significantly altered how many view them and their confidence in whether they help or harm. the survey included 300 healthcare professionals and around 1,500 canadians.
why don’t canadians trust vaccines?
since 2019, vaccine confidence rates have declined significantly in as many as 26 per cent of study respondents.
at the height of the covid-19 pandemic, there was a persistent debate over vaccination that often reduced people to two categories: for or against. this debate sparked a new conversation that people are still participating in, only the reach has now made it to other types of vaccines as well.
there are three main reasons why people have lost confidence in vaccinations to protect themselves and their families.
the study found that 61 per cent of healthcare providers believe people are hesitant to receive vaccines because they believe the vaccines are not safe or effective, whereas 53 per cent believe misinformation patients have heard from social media influencers about the effects of specific vaccines. as many as 48 per cent of healthcare providers in the study also cited a lack of trust in the government or public health systems, which reduced patients’ willingness to receive a vaccine.
groups most affected by this lack of faith in vaccines caused by these three main drivers are women, adults aged 35-54 and families with children.
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those from diverse backgrounds, including indigenous, south asian and southeast asian populations, are also more reluctant to get vaccines, as are people from lower-income and education areas, renters, and people influenced by religious leaders, alternative health providers, and social media influencers.
on the opposite side, people who still believe in the power of vaccines for protecting themselves and the masses tend to come from higher income and education backgrounds, those belonging to caucasian or chinese ethnic groups, people who own homes, and those over the age of 55.
those who obtain information from public health websites or their family doctors are also more likely to trust vaccines than those who get information from other sources.
whether a person has children also affects their trust in vaccines: people with children are more likely to receive rubella, hpv, and rsv vaccines, whereas those without are more likely to receive covid-19, influenza, or shingles vaccines.
vaccine trust varies by type
the study found that people who had a distrust in vaccines weren’t necessarily feeling that across the board, but rather for specific types of vaccines. the covid-19 vaccine, for example, ranked at the top of the list alongside influenza, with 33 per cent reporting discomfort with receiving a covid-19 vaccine and 28 per cent reporting discomfort with receiving a flu shot.
people are also unsure about human papillomavirus (hpv) and respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) vaccines, citing hesitancy stemming from insufficient knowledge to make an informed decision.
that said, not all vaccines are experiencing the same hesitancy, as many people still have significant confidence in vaccines that protect against well-known infectious diseases, such as measles, mumps, rubella and shingles.
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building credibility in vaccines
to ensure that vaccines gain credibility among canadians, information must be presented appropriately.
for example, transparent, evidence-based information from people with medical or scientific backgrounds that presents both the benefits and the risks—what it can do and any adverse side effects that may occur—is more likely to be taken seriously.
on the flip side, sources that lack credibility also fall short in clarity, simplicity, and consistency.
rebuilding confidence in vaccines must leverage the strengths of advocates and medical providers who present information clearly and transparently, acknowledge the benefits and risks of each vaccine, and use evidence-based data to demonstrate results.
people are also more likely to trust the human side of things, so sharing information while presenting relatable stories about real people helps build the connection required to trust a vaccine or a health authority.
allowing people to learn is another crucial aspect of vaccine confidence, and it must be done through accessible dialogue in a judgment-free manner. providing people with the freedom to learn from reputable, trustworthy sources empowers them to make informed decisions about vaccines.
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