Vaccine hesitancy: a structured review from a behavioral perspective (2015-2022)

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Public Health
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Vaccine hesitancy is a significant global health challenge, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Understanding the behavioral underpinnings of vaccine hesitancy is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To scrutinize peer-reviewed literature on vaccine hesitancy from 2015-2022.
• To analyze behavioral perspectives using a Theories-Constructs-Variables-Contexts-Methods (TCVCM) framework.
• To consolidate research and schematize factors influencing vaccine hesitancy and vaccination behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of 138 studies published between 2015 and 2022.
• Application of the TCVCM framework to analyze theoretical approaches, constructs, variables, contexts, and methods.
• Synthesis of findings to provide an overview of research trends.

Main Results:

• Identified key influencing factors: individual-level, contextual, vaccine-specific, organizational, and public-policy dynamics.
• Highlighted prominent theoretical approaches and research variables in vaccine hesitancy studies.
• Corroborated the multifaceted nature of vaccine hesitancy and challenges in vaccine advocacy.

Conclusions:

• Vaccine hesitancy is a complex phenomenon influenced by diverse factors.
• Future research should prioritize contextual studies, particularly in low- and middle-income nations, to understand cross-cultural nuances.
• Effective vaccine advocacy strategies must address the complexity of behavioral influences.