Trustworthiness and Ethics in Vaccine Hesitancy: Mind the Gap

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Vaccine hesitancy is linked to distrust in health organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and governments.
• Understanding the roots of distrust is crucial for developing effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the necessary steps for bridging the gap of distrust related to vaccine hesitancy.
• To analyze the relationship between distrust and coercive measures in public health.
• To critically evaluate existing perspectives on trust and trustworthiness in the context of vaccine hesitancy.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of different types of distrust identified in non-compliant parent groups.
• Examination of perspectives on trust and trustworthiness presented by Pierik and Verweij.
• Critique of the information deficit perspective on trust.

Main Results:

• Distrust in health organizations and governments is a significant factor in vaccine hesitancy.
• Tailored approaches are necessary to build trust, considering diverse sources of distrust.
• Ambivalence exists in current discussions regarding the information deficit perspective on trust.

Conclusions:

• Addressing vaccine hesitancy necessitates a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of distrust.
• Future strategies should focus on building trust through tailored, evidence-based interventions.
• Further research is needed to resolve theoretical ambivalence on trust and information deficits.