Vaccine hesitancy and healthcare providers.
While most people vaccinate according to the recommended schedule, this success is challenged by individuals and groups who delay or refuse vaccines. The aim of this article is to review studies on vaccine hesitancy among healthcare providers (HCPs), and the influences of their own vaccine confidence and vaccination behaviour on their vaccination recommendations to others. The search strategy was developed in Medline and then adapted across several multidisciplinary mainstream databases including Embase Classic & Embase, and PschInfo. All foreign language articles were included if the abstract was available in English. A total of 185 articles were included in the literature review. 66% studied the vaccine hesitancy among HCPs, 17% analysed concerns, attitudes and/or behaviour of HCPs towards vaccinating others, and 9% were about evaluating intervention(s). Overall, knowledge about particular vaccines, their efficacy and safety, helped to build HCPs own confidence in vaccines and their willingness to recommend vaccines to others. The importance of societal endorsement and support from colleagues was also reported. In the face of emerging vaccine hesitancy, HCPs still remain the most trusted advisor and influencer of vaccination decisions. The capacity and confidence of HCPs, though, are stretched as they are faced with time constraints, increased workload and limited resources, and often have inadequate information or training support to address parents' questions. Overall, HCPs need more support to manage the quickly evolving vaccine environment as well as changing public, especially those who are reluctant or refuse vaccination. Some recommended strategies included strengthening trust between HCPs, health authorities and policymakers, through more shared involvement in the establishment of vaccine recommendations.
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: pauline.paterson@lshtm.ac.uk.
Pauline
P
Paterson
GSK Vaccines, Avenue Fleming 20, Parc de la Noire Epine, B-1300 Wavre, Belgium. Electronic address: francois.meurice@gsk.com.
François
F
Meurice
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: lstanberry@columbia.edu.
Lawrence R
LR
Stanberry
GSK Vaccines, Avenue Fleming 20, Parc de la Noire Epine, B-1300 Wavre, Belgium. Electronic address: steffen.x.glismann@gsk.com.
Steffen
S
Glismann
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: slr2154@cumc.columbia.edu.
Susan L
SL
Rosenthal
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. Electronic address: heidi.larson@lshtm.ac.uk.
Heidi J
HJ
Larson
D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014612:Vaccines
Healthcare provider; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy