Effects of Misinformation and Disinformation on Vaccine Hesitancy and Routine Vaccine Uptake

Abstract

This literature review was conducted to identify the role misinformation and disinformation plays on the rates of vaccine hesitancy and vaccine uptake for routine immunization among the child and adult populations of the United States. Fifteen articles between 2018-2024 were extracted from PubMed and Google Scholar databases. As shelter-in-place and social distancing protocol wanes, the risk of common vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) reemerges, especially in populations that have not kept up with routine immunization schedules. Current efforts to restore mass vaccination campaigns are underway, but do not provide the necessary modifications to include social, behavioral, and cultural factors that influence vaccine hesitancy. To address these gaps, recommendations to provide educational information on vaccine hesitancy and disinformation using the Behavioral and Social Drivers (BeSD) framework were utilized in efforts to improve on current mass vaccination campaigns and routine immunization schedules. The inclusion of the BeSD framework can benefit marginalized populations in the United States in efforts to improve vaccine uptake and overall health outcomes