Sustaining motivation to immunize: exchanging lessons between India and the United States

In our recent study on vaccine uptake and parental attitudes toward immunizations in urban South India, we found strong support for vaccination due to fear of vaccine-preventable diseases and confidence in the recommendations made by health care professionals. In this commentary, we will characterize the reasons behind strong parental motivation to immunize in South India and consider ways these motivators can be enhanced in the United States, where vaccine hesitancy has led to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease. In addition, we will also discuss lessons that can be learned from the hesitancy movements in the United States and applied in India to maintain strong support for vaccination.