The research published in Nature Medicine explores the “Influence of COVID-19 on trust in routine immunization, health information sources and pandemic preparedness in 23 countries in 2023” Conducted through a survey involving 23,000 adults, the study delves into attitudes regarding COVID-19 booster vaccines, revealing a notable decline in intent compared to the previous year. It also highlights that “60.8% expressed being more willing to get vaccinated for diseases other than COVID-19 as a result of their experience during the pandemic” Moreover, with 23.1% showing reduced willingness to accept vaccines for other diseases post-pandemic, the study underscores the critical role of resilient healthcare systems in ensuring continuous access to essential preventive measures like routine immunization.
The findings also indicate a shift in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, with the reported uptake of “at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose rose to 87.8% in 2023 across the 23 countries, as compared with 36.9% in 2021 and 70.4% in 2022.” Acceptance of COVID-19 booster vaccines among the vaccinated notably decreased from 87.9% in 2022 to 71.6% in 2023, indicating evolving viewpoints on vaccination over time. This decline is particularly pronounced in high-income countries, dropping from 85.1% to 63.3%, compared to middle-income countries, dropping from 90.5% to 78.9%. These trends emphasize the need for tailored strategies to address vaccine hesitancy and enhance confidence in vaccination efforts for COVID-19 and other preventable diseases, underscoring the persistent challenge of hesitancy.
Furthermore, the study evaluated trust levels in various sources of vaccine-related information, revealing generally moderate levels of trust. Key sources like personal doctors, nurses, and the World Health Organization say “each averaged less than 7 on a 10-point scale”. This underscores the ongoing challenges linked to vaccine hesitancy and stresses the importance of customized and culturally sensitive communication strategies in public health. It advocates for enhanced vaccine education, trust-building in healthcare practices, and developing resilient healthcare practices for future challenges.
Content Editor: Linjing(Grace) Zhang
Page Editor: Ziqi Liu
Relevant Links/Information resources
Lazarus, J.V., White, T.M., Wyka, K. et al. Influence of COVID-19 on trust in routine immunization, health information sources and pandemic preparedness in 23 countries in 2023. Nat Med 30, 1559–1563 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02939-2
Lazarus, J.V., Wyka, K., White, T.M. et al. A survey of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance across 23 countries in 2022. Nat Med 29, 366–375 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-02185-4
Lazarus, J.V., Wyka, K., White, T.M. et al. Revisiting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy around the world using data from 23 countries in 2021. Nat Commun 13, 3801 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31441-x
How to Build Trust in Vaccines: Understanding the drivers of vaccine confidence. (2023, October 9). World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/publications/how-to-build-trust-in-vaccines-understanding-the-drivers-of-vaccine-confidence/
