Effective ways to increase vaccination rates: What the evidence tells us
Vaccination rates for many diseases have slowed and are now at risk of falling, especially following the disruption caused by Covid-19.
This briefing aims to support global policy makers and others involved in immunisation to prioritise the most effective activities to increase vaccination rates and save lives.
What’s inside
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a summary of the evidence on what works, and what doesn’t, for increasing vaccination rates
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key recommendations for prioritising efforts to increase vaccination.
Who this is for
- policy makers and governments
- research funders
- NGOs working on immunisation
- anyone interested in research on vaccine uptake.
Key recommendations
1. Remove the practical barriers to vaccination and build resilient immunisation systems
- Poor availability of and access to immunisation services are still the biggest barriers for vaccination worldwide – both for the most vulnerable who lack access to basic healthcare services, and in areas where vaccines are available but not convenient.
- Simple solutions can have a huge impact. For example, phone call reminders can increase vaccination appointments by 18%.
2. Change the way we talk about ‘vaccine hesitancy’
- This phrase is easily misinterpreted. It can overemphasise the threat posed by low vaccine confidence and distract from larger issues such as access to immunisation.
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Instead, it’s important to be specific about the different barriers that stop people getting vaccinated and what can be done to remove them, avoiding tactics like myth-busting and focusing on amplifying positive and accurate information.
3. Strengthen the voices of healthcare workers in presenting vaccination as a social norm
- Some of the most powerful and trustworthy voices for increasing vaccine uptake are healthcare workers.
- They must have the latest evidence-based tools and guidance to feel confident in presenting vaccination as normal and expected.
4. Address the research gap
- Most available research relies on evidence from high-income settings.
- Future research should prioritise understanding what works to improve vaccination rates in different countries and why, with a focus on improving the evidence base for low-and middle-income countries.