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Vaccines
Special Issues
New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective
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New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Vaccines and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2027 | Viewed by 3711

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marcello Guido

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; public health; infectious diseases; surveillance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Antonella Zizza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNR-IFC Italian National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; public health; vaccination; health promotion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vaccination is one of the most significant milestones in the history of public health. Over the centuries, vaccines have eradicated devastating diseases, reduced the impact of epidemics and pandemics, and saved countless lives, establishing themselves as a pillar of global disease prevention.

Vaccination plays a fundamental role in preventing microbial infections while also reducing the need for drugs, especially antibiotics, and the resulting development of antimicrobial resistance.

However, the current healthcare landscape presents complex challenges. On the one hand, advanced technologies are leading to the development of more effective vaccines; on the other, access to vaccination programs and vaccine acceptability raise important issues that require urgent attention.

As a result, vaccination has become a controversial topic that collides with medical, cultural, and social aspects. To ensure that vaccination has an effective and sustainable impact on global health, it is essential to implement targeted intervention strategies for increasing vaccine uptake in the general population and specific risk groups.

The Special Issue entitled "New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective" aims to collect contributions on the effectiveness of vaccines and vaccination interventions, factors influencing vaccine hesitancy, and strategies to promote vaccination acceptance in the context of public health.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a Special Issue entitled “New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective” in the journal Vaccines, which is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open-access journal on vaccine research, utilization, and immunization.

More information about the journal can be found at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines.

Original research articles and narrative and systematic reviews are welcome in this Special Issue.

Dr. Marcello Guido
Dr. Antonella Zizza
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vaccine effectiveness/efficacy
  • vaccination strategies
  • tailored approaches for different populations
  • public health

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 222 KB  
Article
Support for Tying Polio Vaccination Status to Child Tax Credit Eligibility in the United States
by Matthew R. Boyce and Rebecca Katz
Vaccines 2026, 14(5), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14050431 - 12 May 2026
Viewed by 119
Abstract
Background/Objectives: In a context characterized by persistent vaccine hesitancy, shifting mandates, and stagnating immunization coverage rates, novel policy tools may be required to bolster immunization coverage in the United States. We conducted a national survey to characterize public support for a new tax [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: In a context characterized by persistent vaccine hesitancy, shifting mandates, and stagnating immunization coverage rates, novel policy tools may be required to bolster immunization coverage in the United States. We conducted a national survey to characterize public support for a new tax policy that would require parents to prove that their children are age-appropriately immunized against polio to be eligible for the federal child tax credit. Methods: The survey was conducted in November 2025. Respondents were asked to provide demographic information and use a Likert-scale to indicate their support for the proposed policy. Chi-squared tests and ordinal logistic regression models were used to compare support for the proposed policy across subpopulations. Results: 980 individuals were included in the analysis. 55.8% of respondents supported adding age-appropriate polio immunization to the child tax credit eligibility criteria. 20.9% of respondents opposed the policy proposal. Relative levels of support for the policy differed according to respondent gender, age, 2024 presidential election behavior, and geographic region. However, support did not differ significantly according to race, ethnicity, educational attainment, income, or partisanship. Conclusions: Results show that most survey respondents would support a policy that would add polio immunization status to the eligibility criteria for the federal child tax credit. Further, support did not differ across key demographic and political subgroups. Larger surveys should validate these findings and investigate support for adding additional vaccines to the eligibility criteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective)
15 pages, 581 KB  
Article
Building Vaccine Readiness for Future Pandemics: Insights from COVID-19 Vaccine Intent and Uptake
by Jeanine P. D. Guidry, Linnea I. Laestadius, Carrie A. Miller, Michael P. Stevens, Candace W. Burton, Kellie E. Carlyle and Paul B. Perrin
Vaccines 2025, 13(12), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13121201 - 28 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1178
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This longitudinal study investigated psychosocial predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions before vaccine availability (July 2020) and vaccine uptake or ongoing intent after widespread vaccine rollout (April 2021) using constructs from the Health Belief Model (HBM) and a measure of trust in government. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This longitudinal study investigated psychosocial predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions before vaccine availability (July 2020) and vaccine uptake or ongoing intent after widespread vaccine rollout (April 2021) using constructs from the Health Belief Model (HBM) and a measure of trust in government. Methods: A U.S. adult sample (N = 142) completed surveys at two time points: prior to and following the release of COVID-19 vaccines. Key predictors included demographics, trust in government, and HBM constructs. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to predict vaccine intent and uptake at both time points. Results: At Time 1, intent to vaccinate was significantly predicted by higher perceived susceptibility (p = 0.038), greater perceived benefits (p < 0.001), and lower perceived barriers (p = 0.002). Trust in government was not a significant predictor. At Time 2, vaccine uptake/ongoing intent was significantly predicted by higher trust in government (p = 0.047), greater perceived benefits (p < 0.001), and lower perceived barriers (p = 0.002). Perceived susceptibility was no longer a significant predictor. Between time points, trust in government and self-efficacy increased, while perceived severity and barriers decreased. Conclusions: Perceived benefits and barriers were robust predictors of vaccine behavior across both time points. Trust in government became a stronger predictor once vaccines were available, underscoring the importance of building and maintaining public trust throughout a health crisis. Messaging should emphasize vaccine benefits, proactively address barriers, and adapt over time as public perceptions shift. These findings inform strategies for enhancing vaccine confidence and readiness in future pandemics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective)
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Review

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21 pages, 1324 KB  
Review
Interactive, Narrative-Based Digital Health Interventions for Vaccine Communication: Scoping Review
by Ahmed Haji Said, Fiona Syed, Isabelle Ma, Rida Akbar, Nidhi Ramprasad, Erin E. Reardon, Robert A. Bednarczyk, Kate Winskell and Lavanya Vasudevan
Vaccines 2025, 13(12), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13121220 - 2 Dec 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1635
Abstract
Background: Interactive, narrative-based digital health interventions may positively influence vaccination-related attitudes, intentions, and uptake. However, evidence on their implementation and evaluation for vaccine communication has not yet been comprehensively synthesized. Our research questions (RQs) were to describe the use of interactive, narrative-based digital [...] Read more.
Background: Interactive, narrative-based digital health interventions may positively influence vaccination-related attitudes, intentions, and uptake. However, evidence on their implementation and evaluation for vaccine communication has not yet been comprehensively synthesized. Our research questions (RQs) were to describe the use of interactive, narrative-based digital health interventions for vaccine communication (RQ1), their impact on individuals’ vaccine intention or uptake (RQ2), and factors associated with their implementation (RQ3). Methods: A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s 5-stage framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception to 18 April 2023. To be included in the review, studies had to include empirical findings from primary data collection, address vaccine communication, use narrative communication that enabled audience engagement (i.e., interactivity), and deliver the narrative through a digital health device or modality. Results: The search identified 6834 records, with 25 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. For RQ1, the interventions most often focused on HPV vaccination (12 studies). Communication objectives included addressing vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccination confidence or knowledge. Intervention delivery formats included multi-device compatibility (utilizing more than one device type, 7 studies) and incorporated interactive features, such as gamification and push notifications. Invented narratives were the most frequent narrative approach (8 studies). For RQ2, vaccination outcomes were reported in nearly half the studies (12 studies), with vaccination intention assessed in 8 studies and both vaccination intention and uptake assessed in 4 studies. For RQ3, implementation factors were reported in nearly half the studies (12 studies), with the most frequently reported outcome being acceptability (6 studies). Conclusions: Evidence supporting interactive, narrative-based digital health interventions for vaccine communication can be strengthened by diversifying narrative strategies, expanding the range of interactivity modalities tested, and focusing on a broader range of vaccines. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of these interventions, particularly of vaccine uptake. The insights from this scoping review may inform the development of novel future interventions for vaccine communication. The generalizability of these findings may be limited by the small number of studies in some categories and the preponderance of studies from high-income settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Vaccines and Vaccination: A Public Health Perspective)
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