VACCINE HESITATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL CAUSES OF THE DECLINE IN CHILDHOOD VACCINATION RATES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/levv17n59-013Keywords:
Vaccination Coverage, Vaccine Hesitation, Immunization Programs, Public Health, VaccinationAbstract
Considering the recent reduction in childhood vaccination coverage and the risks associated with the reintroduction of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine hesitancy has become a significant challenge for public health, involving social, informational, and structural dimensions that influence parental decisions about immunization. This study aims to analyze the psychosocial causes associated with vaccine hesitancy and its relationship with the decline in childhood vaccination rates in the context of public health. To this end, a narrative literature review, with a qualitative and descriptive approach, was conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Virtual Health Library, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases, employing DeCS and MeSH descriptors related to vaccine hesitancy, vaccination, public health, and vaccination coverage. Publications between 2021 and 2024 that addressed social, behavioral, or structural factors related to childhood vaccination were included. Thus, it is observed that vaccine hesitancy is associated with a combination of multiple determinants, including risk perceptions regarding the safety of immunizations, the circulation of distorted information in digital environments, socioeconomic inequalities, and structural barriers to access to health services. It is also evident that changes in the global health context and sociocultural factors influence parental attitudes towards immunization. It is concluded that the reduction in vaccination coverage results from complex interactions between cognitive, social, and institutional aspects, indicating the need to strengthen health communication strategies, expand educational actions in primary care, and improve the organization of immunization services to promote greater adherence to the childhood vaccination schedule.
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