Recent advances in addressing vaccine hesitancy

To offer healthcare providers current, evidence-based approaches for addressing vaccine hesitancy to increase vaccine coverage and reduce the frequency of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.

Vaccine hesitancy is a growing problem with profound societal, economic, and medical consequences. Understanding the complexity of vaccine hesitancy can inform approaches to increasing vaccine uptake on both the individual and population levels. Notably, pediatricians play a critical role in increasing vaccine uptake due to their relationships with families. This doctor-patient relationship establishes trust and allows evidence-based intervention strategies to be effective in the office. Understanding potential solutions outside the office, such as media campaigns and policy changes, also provide insight into vaccine hesitancy and potential directions for future research. While pediatricians' attempts in the clinic to increase coverage remain crucial, vaccine hesitancy remains a formidable public health problem that requires attention on both the micro and macro levels to be addressed successfully.

Providers have an opportunity to increase both confidence in and uptake of vaccines. Public health interventions would effectively complement strategies in the clinic to increase overall coverage.