Shifting the Demand for Vaccines: A Review of Strategies

Vaccines prevent millions of deaths, and yet millions of people die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases. The primary reason for these deaths is that a significant fraction of the population chooses not to vaccinate. Why don't people vaccinate, and what can be done to increase vaccination rates besides providing free and easy access to vaccines? This review presents a conceptual framework, motivated by economic theory, of which factors shift the demand for vaccines. Next, it critically examines the literature on these demand shifters and interventions that target these demand shifters. The review concludes with offering directions for future research and lessons for public health decision making.