Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance: A Public Health Perspective
A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Vaccines and Public Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1302
Special Issue Editors
Interests: health sciences; systematic reviews; infodemics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Vaccination has been one of the most effective public health interventions, significantly reducing the burden of infectious diseases worldwide. Vaccines have eradicated smallpox, nearly eliminated polio, and substantially lowered the incidence of measles, mumps, and rubella. Despite these successes, vaccine hesitancy remains a critical public health challenge. Vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted issue influenced by factors such as misinformation, cultural beliefs, political ideologies, and individual experiences with healthcare systems. The rise of social media has further exacerbated the spread of vaccine misinformation, leading to increased skepticism toward vaccines. Understanding the causes of vaccine hesitancy and promoting strategies to improve vaccine acceptance are crucial for maintaining herd immunity and preventing the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Research in the area of vaccine hesitancy and acceptance is critical to developing effective interventions. Given the ongoing threat of emerging infectious diseases and global pandemics, addressing vaccine hesitancy is essential for individual and public health and a cornerstone of global health security.
This Special Issue will examine what drives vaccine hesitancy and what is essential for developing effective public health strategies related to vaccines, as well as evaluate vaccine hesitancy on public health outcomes such as vaccine-preventable diseases and lowered herd immunity. This issue will also address disparities in vaccine acceptance and assess the importance of communication in vaccine hesitancy. It will also explore approaches for improving vaccine acceptance. Its additional aims are identifying and promoting interventions that increase vaccine acceptance in the public health framework. Additionally, it will address vaccine uptake among marginalized populations and the importance of access to vaccines.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Neli Ragina
Dr. Michael J. Conway
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- vaccine hesitancy
- vaccine acceptance
- public health
- vaccine uptake
- misinformation
- risk perception
- health communication
- immunization rates
- herd immunity
- behavioral determinants
- social determinants
- trust in healthcare
- vaccine misinformation
- vaccine education
- vaccine refusal
- vaccine policy
- health disparities
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