Heidi J Larson, PhD Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine 'New Horizons for Vaccine Research and Innovation’ 12 March 2014
How to Communicate about
Vaccines and
Vaccination:
The role of risk
Perceptions of vaccine risks are not new
The Vaccination Monster (London, 1808)
NAIROBI. MAY 2013 (25 years post-MMR Wakefield scare)
India
Perceptions of vaccine risks are global
Perceptions of vaccine risk travel globally—
and impact locally
World Economic Forum: Global Risks 2013
OPPORTUNITY or
RISK?
The role of social media
2013 Global Risks Report -World Economic Forum
A Trust barometer?
Can we monitor public confidence in
vaccines?
(to inform communication)
Tracking Anti-vaccination Sentiment in Eastern European Social Media Networks.
UNICEF.2013
Influences on risk perceptions are highly varied
Tracking Anti-vaccination Sentiment in Eastern European
Social Media Networks. UNICEF.2013
Modes of communication differ by location
Perceptions vary by gender
Tracking Anti-vaccination Sentiment in Eastern European Social Media Networks.
UNICEF.2013
Larson, et al Measuring Vaccine Confidence Lancet ID . 2013
POSITIVE SENTIMENT REPORTS
NEGATIVE SENTIMENT REPORTS
Larson, et al Measuring Vaccine Confidence Lancet ID . 2013
Some issues persist over time
Feb
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
May
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Aug
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Aug
Sep
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Aug
Sep
Oct
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
2011 Reports about HPV in
India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Mar
2011
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
2012
Feb
Mar
Apr
Reports about HPV in India by month 01 Feb 2011 – 30 Apr 2012
Once we listen and analyze
the issues…
How do we communicate
better?
http://occupyilluminati.com/
We can try to counter the negative perceptions
But new research
shows that trying to
change negative
perceptions can make
things worse
SourSource
Source: Peter Sandman. http://www.psandman.com/articles/zurich.pdf
Managing risk and building trust go hand-in-hand
?
?
Trust should never be assumed…
Risk as feelings
(fast , instinctive, emotional.. )
Risk as analysis
(logic, reason, scientific...)
Risk as Politics
Slovic et al. Risk Analysis 2004; 24 (2): 311-22
As a scientific community we are good
at “Risk as analysis”, but not addressing
the other important domains:
Culture
Personal Beliefs
Politics
Society Scientific Evidence
Media
TRUST
TRUST and RESPECT can be the tipping point..
Larson et al. Drug Safety 2012; 35(11)
Risk communication is only part of an ongoing
dynamic process…
“Anthropology demands the open-mindedness
with which one must look and listen, and
record in astonishment and wonder that which one would have not been able
to guess”
Margaret Mead
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