Mapping inequities in global vaccine sentiment research

Area of Science:

• Global health research
• Vaccinology
• Public health policy

Background:

• Negative public sentiment towards vaccination (PSV) challenges immunization programs globally.
• Health research is often influenced by economic and geopolitical factors, not solely by epidemiological needs.
• This study investigates global patterns and drivers of PSV research for five key vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine global patterns and drivers of PSV research.
• To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PSV research volume, focus, and distribution.
• To identify inequities in PSV research and propose solutions.

Main Methods:

• Machine-learning-assisted literature search without geographical, language, or time constraints.
• Natural language processing, network analysis, and statistical analysis of 13,287 articles.
• Examination of geographical, epidemiological, and economic drivers of PSV research.

Main Results:

• Consistent growth in PSV literature since 1980, with peaks after licensing events.
• Post-2020, influenza research increased, while polio and measles research declined.
• Research distribution was imbalanced, dominated by high-income countries (72% of publications) and influenced by economic factors.
• Foreign authorship increased in lower-income countries, indicating potential research exploitation.

Conclusions:

• PSV research exhibits persistent inequities, misaligning research leadership with populations most in need.
• COVID-19 disruptions exacerbated these inequities, reflecting systematic global health imbalances.
• Decolonizing research is crucial, fostering local leadership, agenda-setting, and accountability for affected communities.