PD 4b - Vaccination Apathy

Vaccination is an effective preventative healthcare measure to help protect against infectious disease, and yet for many diseases and geographical areas, vaccination coverage rates are low. Despite the historic success of immunization in reducing the burden of illness and death, episodes of public concerns and rumours around vaccines have occurred around the world, spreading quickly and sometimes seriously eroding public confidence in immunization – ultimately leading to vaccine refusals and disease outbreaks.
This panel discussion explores the state of vaccine confidence and adult vaccination apathy, and its causes and influences. The impact of vaccination apathy is considered within the context of the globally ageing population, in light of the opportunity vaccination presents for healthy ageing.
Vaccine confidence does not solely apply to those for whom vaccination is appropriate – research has shown that healthcare professionals too are affected by negative publicity around vaccination. , With this in mind, the psychological drivers for, and barriers to adult vaccination for both healthcare professionals and the general public are assessed through the discipline of behavioural economics. Consideration is given to how a range of stakeholders, including policy makers and the healthcare community, can take learnings form behavioural science to understand and address the emotional barriers to adult vaccination, to help address the challenge of keeping our ageing population well in later life.