Search

The article explores the overlooked contributions of Daniel Sutton, an inoculator in 18th-century Britain, who played a significant role in the early history of immunization. Despite being overshadowed by Edward Jenner, Sutton's improvements to inoculation were crucial in the fight against smallpox. Through innovative techniques and relentless promotion, Sutton gained public confidence in inoculation, paving the way for Jenner's later discovery of vaccination. The author argues that Sutton's legacy is essential in understanding the history of vaccination and public health, especially in the face of rising vaccine hesitancy. [Extracted from the article]

Background: At the beginning of the 2018-2020 outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), no vaccine had been licensed. However, cluster-randomized evidence from Guinea in 2015 had indicated that ring vaccination around new cases (targeting contacts and contacts-of-contacts) with the use of single-dose live-replicating rVSV-ZEBOV-GP vaccine reduced EVD rates starting 10 days after vaccination. Thus, ring vaccination was added to the standard control measures for that outbreak. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the incidence of EVD within the first 9 days after vaccination (when little protection was expected from case isolation or ring vaccination), during days 10 to 29, and at later time periods. We established 1853 rings around new cases or clusters within 21 days after symptom onset in the index case and offered vaccination to the ring members. Vaccinees were monitored for EVD onset until the end of the outbreak in mid-2020. Results: From August 8, 2018, to January 14, 2020, we vaccinated 265,183 participants. Of these vaccinees, 102,515 were monitored on days 0, 3, and 21 for safety. Among the contacts and contacts-of-contacts, 434 cases of EVD (0.2 per ring) were diagnosed, almost all within 0 to 9 days (380 cases) or 10 to 29 days (32 cases) after vaccination. An additional 22 cases were diagnosed after day 29 during an average of 170 more days of follow-up. The sooner that control measures (including ring vaccination) began after EVD onset in the index case, the sooner EVD rates fell among contacts. In each subgroup, EVD rates fell suddenly around day 10. Among the contacts and contacts-of-contacts who were still disease-free at day 10, the EVD onset rate during days 10 to 29 was 0.16 per 1000 (in 32 of 194,019 participants). This rate was much lower than the rate of 4.64 per 1000 (in 21 of 4528 participants) that had been seen among similarly defined ring members in Guinea, in whom standard control measures had been promptly initiated but vaccination was delayed until 21 days after ring formation (rate ratio, 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.02 to 0.06). No safety concerns with the vaccine were identified. Conclusions: Nonrandomized evidence regarding standard EVD control measures plus ring vaccination in eastern DRC reinforces the earlier randomized evidence from Guinea of vaccine efficacy against EVD onset 10 or more days after vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the public health value of immunizations, vaccine hesitancy is a widespread phenomenon and received special attention during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to identify anti-vaccination attitudes for understanding vaccine hesitancy. The present study is the validation of the German version of the VAX scale in pre-/mid-pandemic samples. All individuals completed an online-survey assessing prior and expected future vaccination behaviors, further constructs associated with vaccine hesitancy, as well as anti-vaccination attitudes using the translated VAX scale among others. In a first study, 297 individuals were surveyed before the COVID-19 pandemic. A second study included 260 individuals recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic. For validation, two confirmatory factor analyses have been conducted. Reliability measures (internal consistency, test–retest-correlation) were determined. The four subscales were confirmed by Confirmation Factor Analysis with a very good to excellent fit. The subscales showed good to excellent reliability and convergent validity determinants. Average VAX values significantly distinguished between individuals who had previously received or refused immunization and predicted expected vaccination behavior. The German translation of the VAX scale is effective in identifying anti-vaccination attitudes and can be used for further research on anti-vaccination attitudes and vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Childhood infectious diseases have been a significant medical problem, with a global increase in recent years. Modern diagnostic methods and new vaccinations are available. Poland is part of the WHO-coordinated global measles and rubella elimination program. Controversy surrounds mandatory and recommended vaccinations in Poland. There has been a concerning increase in the abandonment of vaccinating children, leading to a resurgence of infectious diseases. In 2024, the WHO reported a significant increase in measles cases in the European region, including in Poland. It's crucial to remind people of these diseases and warn them about the complications they bring. Aim of study. The aim of this study is to investigate the increasing occurrence of infectious diseases in childhood and examine the correlation with declining vaccination rates across society. Materials and methods. An unsystematic review of scientific literature was conducted, employing specific keywords such as „measles,” „pertussis,” „rubella,” „infectious diseases,” „vaccination,” and „hib.” The review was executed on the PubMed database, analyzing a total of 59 sources published until the conclusion of 2024. Conclusions. To control and eliminate infectious diseases, it is vital to maintain and improve vaccination rates. Policymakers and healthcare providers should prioritize immunization programs and address barriers to vaccine access. Further research is crucial to develop comprehensive strategies for increasing vaccination coverage and understanding vaccine-preventable diseases in modern public health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from psychological reactance theory (PRT), this study sought to attain a better understanding on the extent to which psychological reactance is associated with motivation to restore freedom, as manifested in health-related attitudes/behaviors during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we focused on (1) comparing levels of psychological reactance and health-related attitudes and behaviors between Norwegian and Swedish participants, given the divergent approaches followed by these two nations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) examining whether psychological reactance to COVID-19 restrictions moderated associations between COVID-19 risk perception, trust in government, pro-sociality, and COVID-19 health-related attitudes/behaviors. Four hundred and twelve participants (Norway = 196, Sweden = 216) completed measures of psychological reactance to COVID-19 restrictions, COVID-19 risk perception, trust in government, pro-sociality, and COVID-19 health-related attitudes/behaviors (i.e. vaccination intentions, anti-vaccination attitudes, and compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)). Participants from Norway reported higher psychological reactance to COVID-19 restrictions and anti-vaccination attitudes, and lower COVID-19 risk perception, pro-sociality, vaccination intentions, and compliance with NPIs than participants from Sweden. Moderation analyses revealed that participants showing low psychological reactance reported relatively high vaccination intentions, compliance with NPIs, and relatively low anti-vaccination attitudes, regardless of their reported levels of COVID-19 risk perception, trust in government, and pro-sociality. However, high levels of psychological reactance were not always related to the outcome variables; such association depended on the levels of COVID-19 risk perception, trust in government, and pro-sociality. These results suggest that the relationship between psychological reactance and health-related attitudes/behaviors may be more nuanced than previously believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examines the attitude towards vaccination of students at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and explores its relationship with sociodemographic and academic variables using a bivariate analysis and linear and logistic regression. Methods: The attitude towards vaccination of 3577 students of different disciplines was assessed using an online version of the Questionnaire on Attitudes and Behaviours towards Vaccination. In addition, all students were asked if they sought information produced by anti-vaccination groups and whether they identified as "anti-vaccine". Results: In general, the students showed a favourable attitude towards vaccination. Older students, those in paid employment, and those undertaking non-health-related studies had less favourable attitudes. Spanish-born and female students showed more positive attitudes than foreign-born and non-binary/male students, respectively. Only a small proportion of students identified as anti-vaccine. Conclusions: Despite these positive results, the need for interventions targeting specific groups with less favourable attitudes, such as older students, employed students, and those in non-health-related fields, is clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on political parties has not given much attention to single-issue parties. Mostly rooted in social movements and often indistinguishable from pressure groups, these parties are exceptional in terms of their goals. These parties, whose main raison d'être is to bring a single issue to the agenda and to bring about legislative changes on that issue, are an important part of democratic party systems, even though they are often short-lived. There are also examples of single-issue parties in Turkish political history. In this study, single-issue parties established since the transition to multi-party life are analyzed in terms of their goals, continuity and effects, thus shedding light on the phenomenon of single-issue parties in Türkiye, which has not been the subject of a separate study so far. Our research shows that single-issue parties have been established in the fields of women's rights, environmental issues, disability rights, and anti-vaccination. Among these, only the Women's Party and the Green Party are understood to have party characteristics. These two parties have been effective in terms of "politicization" and "contagion" of their issues. However, they did not have the same success in creating mass opposition forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is influenced by institutional trust, conspiracy theory beliefs, and political and religious values using novel data from the 2022 Turkish COVID-19 Values Study (TCVS). We find that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is widespread in Turkey. While 7.75% of the participants did not receive any COVID-19 vaccination, 4.51% received only one dose. Moreover, 16.09% of the population does not intend to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the future, whereas another 35.14% show indecision on this topic. Our findings demonstrate that greater belief in conspiracy theories, higher distrust in political and health institutions, and lower religiosity lead to greater COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Turkey. The results of our study imply that the national government and local municipalities need to readopt vaccine outreach efforts and disseminate trusted vaccination information in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores some historical and ideological conditions of possibility underpinning the two most widely debated and strongly politicized topics in Austrian public discourse over recent years: in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, an "anti-vaxxer" sub-culture, which is less internally coherent than one may assume; and prominent, if controversial positions vis-à-vis Russia. My focus leads to the extrapolation of a common denominator that I locate in the longue durée legacy of romantic and neo-romantic ideas. Following an initial contextualization, a methodological rationale, and summary of existing literature on the history of (neo-)romantic thought on the territories of present-day Austria, the crux of the argument is that a cultural-cum-political pessimism, often articulated through (inadvertent and selective) neo-romantic tropes and topoi, constitutes the shared argumentative terrain between the two thematic clusters in question (i.e. the Querdenker phenomenon and Russophile positions). In a more tentatively formulated vein that awaits sustained empirical exploration, I also suggest that while this (neo-)romantic pessimism is particularly pronounced on the (far)right end of the spectrum, some of its elements cut across political divides in Austria today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the issues that remained contentious throughout the pandemic was vaccination: its efficacy, side effects, and the general reluctance of a substantial segment of the population to get vaccinated. The aim of this paper is to understand the role of health information sources in anti-vaccination sentiment and the decision to vaccinate. Regression models were used to analyze data from an online survey of adults in the United States in late 2021 (n = 10,221). The results of the study showed that: (a) information from local and national health experts had a significant positive association with getting the COVID-19 vaccine and a negative relationship with holding anti-vaccination sentiments while (b) information from social media and community/religious leaders had the opposite effect. Overall, this study highlights the importance of public health systems in the dissemination of information on vaccinations during pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distrust in science has been linked to scepticism over vaccines and climate change. Using data from nationally representative surveys administered in eight key countries for global efforts to mitigate climate change and COVID-19 (Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Africa, the UK and US), we find that distrust in scientists was an important predictor variable for most sceptics, who were sceptical of one issue but not both, in February 2021, when most countries had experienced their first wave of the pandemic. However, the association was significantly weaker among the segment of hardcore sceptics who were both climate sceptics and antivaxxers. We demonstrate that these individuals tended to possess many of the typical sceptic characteristics such as high distrust in social institutions and rightward political orientation, which are (collectively) suggestive of an underlying sceptic mindset rather than a specific distrust of scientists. Our results suggest that different types of sceptics necessitate different strategies to dispel scepticism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates pro-vax discourse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expert and political discussions about the pandemic are abundant, commonly focusing on anti-vax and science-skeptic politics and further connecting them with post-truth and populism. However, research on pro-vax discourse remains largely overlooked. The article focuses on the case of Cyprus which received little scholarly attention in the context of the pandemic, especially by political science and media and communication scholarship. Applying discourse analysis to 120 media units that connect the articulations of scientific experts, politicians and journalists, empirical findings show that the discursive management of the pandemic takes place in the name of science, reason and responsibility, with key mechanisms of persuasion being the moralistic and fear-mongering narratives that place the responsibility for the return to normality on individual citizens. This highlights that communication about COVID-19 is not merely about healthcare and science. Rather, it is politicized and disciplinary in nature. The examination of the case of Cyprus alongside existing theories and debates reveals the internationally salient character of discursive features and patterns including the hegemony of techno-scientific objectivism, epistemological elitism and anti-populism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article theorizes the connection between political distrust and conspiracy theories through a post-political framework. Following Luc Boltanski's focus on the critical capacities of ordinary actors, it builds on interviews with participants of the Yellow Vest Movement in France who hold conspiratorial views of Covid-19 and the vaccine. The article explores how the interviewees' critique mirrors that of post-political theorists. In particular, I use Rancière's notion of subjectification and politics to theorize how conspiracy theories function as a means of dissent in the interviewees' understanding of their experiences as well as in their own critique of and disillusionment with politics in France. As such, this article explores how political trust affected reactions to the pandemic, how political trust is interconnected with conspiracy theories and finally how such conspiracy theories can be viewed as biproducts of the post-political order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antivaccine hesitancy movement represents a challenge to public policy and platform regulations. During COVID-19, various Latin American antivaccine groups clashed with official sanitary initiatives. Despite many responses, little progress has been made in reaching these groups to transform their perceptions about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine. During the pandemic in Latin America, the antivaccine network Médicos por la Verdad (Doctors for the Truth) gained prominence in various countries. Finding itself limited by legal and technical restrictions, this network used alternative media such as Telegram to disseminate messages. This study argues that such groups may be considered an antivaccination culture that opposes government measures. This focus emphasizes narrative construction and allows us to understand the phenomenon from the collective meaning-making perspective. This study analyzed 232,638 Telegram messages from 14 public channels associated with the Médicos por la Verdad network. Our findings indicate that this antivaccine network builds an oppositional culture expressed and reinforced through multimodal, trans-media, fragmented narratives and suspends disbelief that constructs a world where the community enacts a truth pact. These narrative methods foster building a resilient network of oppositional cultures, decreasing the effectiveness of policies. We conclude that research beyond the framework of misinformation and the analysis of conventional platforms is needed to understand the antivaccine oppositional cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The article describes attitudes towards vaccinations in Poland in relation to issues such as voluntary versus compulsory vaccinations, the method of financing vaccinations, the method of organizing and carrying out vaccinations, the cognitive and educational aspect of vaccines (how to obtain knowledge about vaccines) and the preferred model of work and research on new vaccines. Taking into account these issues, the authors have created four ideal models of preferred vaccination policies: (a) the market model; (b) the state model; (c) the vaccine hesitancy model; and (d) the civic–social model. This perspective makes it possible to better understand and learn about the various motives behind the attitudes of anti-vaccination movements, as well as to notice cracks and divisions among vaccination supporters and their attitudes towards the financing and organization of vaccinations. Methods: The study was carried out using the CATI method on a representative random-quota sample of Polish society of 1000 people aged 18 and over. The study took age, sex, education and the size of the place of residence into account. Additionally, in the Socio-demographic factors influencing attitudes towards vaccination practices in Poland section, we used the chi-squared test and regression analysis of factors influencing vaccination practices in Poland. PASW Statistics 18 (a version of SPSS) software was used for statistical analysis. Significant correlations were demonstrated at a significance level of 0.05% Pearson. Results: This article has shown that attitudes towards vaccinations are embedded in broader divisions and orientations related to the vision of the social order: the role of the state, the organization of healthcare and payments for vaccinations and medical services, as well as preferred ways of knowledge production in society and work on new vaccines. The political sympathies and the age of the respondents were the most important variables influencing vaccination behaviour. The education of the respondents was less important. Conclusions: A few years after the peak of the pandemic, the scope of anti-vaccination attitudes in Polish society ranges from 20% of the population (dogmatic anti-vaxxers) to 30% (vaccine hesitancy occurring depending on attitudes towards vaccinations). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a randomised survey experiment involving 13,301 online Australians. Respondents were asked about their support for environmental, anti-lockdown and sovereign citizen protests. They were randomly allocated to one of three groups presented with different protest tactics—peaceful marching, disrupting traffic and violent clashes with police. Respondents were significantly more likely to oppose violent or disruptive protests than peaceful protests, regardless of the issue or movement in question. The strongest opposition was to anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination protests, followed by protests relating to the sovereign citizen movement. Protests about environmental issues had the most support. The effect of conspiratorial beliefs on support for protests varied by protest cause. Belief in conspiracy theories increased support for protest violence, relative to other tactics. Support for certain protest causes and tactics is shaped by a person’s ideological beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccine hesitancy was a major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. A common but sometimes ineffective intervention to reduce vaccine hesitancy involves providing information on vaccine effectiveness, side effects, and related probabilities. Could biased processing of this information contribute to vaccine refusal? We examined the information inspection of 1200 U.S. participants with anti-vaccination, neutral, or pro-vaccination attitudes before they stated their willingness to accept eight different COVID-19 vaccines. All participants—particularly those who were anti-vaccination—frequently ignored some of the information. This deliberate ignorance, especially toward probabilities of extreme side effects, was a stronger predictor of vaccine refusal than typically investigated demographic variables. Computational modeling suggested that vaccine refusals among anti-vaccination participants were driven by ignoring even inspected information. In the neutral and pro-vaccination groups, vaccine refusal was driven by distorted processing of side effects and their probabilities. Our findings highlight the necessity for interventions tailored to individual information-processing tendencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether specific social factors are associated with COVID‐19 vaccination distrust. Data originated from the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey Phase 3.3 Week 42 collected from January 26 to February 7, 2022. In total, 38,504 adults answered the questions regarding receiving the COVID‐19 vaccine, COVID‐19 vaccine distrust, and the designated social factors. Logistic regression and ordinal regression were performed to examine specific social factors associated with the COVID‐19 vaccine to determine if differences were seen in a dichotomous outcome or scale outcome for distrust. Over 7% of men reported 1 or both types of COVID‐19 distrust compared to 6.6% of women. Men were more likely to distrust the COVID‐19 vaccine than women. There was a significant association between educational attainment and COVID‐19 distrust scale. The same association was seen also in household income and COVID‐19 distrust scale. Overall, this study identified specific social factors were a strong predictor of COVID‐19 vaccination distrust. These findings can assist public health efforts to reduce the health inequity of COVID‐19 vaccination efforts and reduce distrust in racial‐ethnic minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in schools as a strategy to reach a large captive population of children. It highlights the recent developments in India, including the government's budget announcement for HPV vaccination and the development of an indigenous HPV vaccine. The article emphasizes the potential for integrating HPV vaccination with other health interventions in schools, such as vision screening, deworming, and menstrual hygiene education, to address multiple health needs of school children. The importance of school-based health interventions, the target age group for HPV vaccination, and the evidence base for integrating health interventions with HPV vaccination are also discussed. [Extracted from the article]

Employing inoculation theory as a theoretical framework, we conducted an independent-groups experiment (N = 150), comparing the effects of an inoculation treatment to a control condition and examining uncertainty as a mediator of inoculation effects. To test inoculation effectiveness, we used an excerpt from an anti-vaccination conspiracy film Vaxxed as a counterattitudinal attack message. The results indicated that inoculation roused motivational defenses to protect initial attitudes and, subsequently, was effective at conferring resistance to conspiracy propaganda. Furthermore, relative to the control condition, inoculation treatment decreased attitudinal uncertainty. Importantly, and as predicted, within the inoculation condition, attitudinal uncertainty emerged as a mediator of the resistance process: For inoculated participants, an increase in motivational threat to defend one's attitudes fostered by the inoculation treatment reduced uncertainty, and attitudinal certainty, subsequently, facilitated resistance against the message advocated in the conspiracy film, damaging to public health. These results have theoretical implications for research on inoculation and offer practical import for attempts at mitigating conspiratorial ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is a significant public health concern in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, being widely prevalent and the main risk factor for cervical cancer. We aimed to assess knowledge and perception towards HPV, acceptability of the HPV vaccine, and HPV vaccination rates among university students in Education City, Doha, Qatar. Methods: This cross-sectional survey utilized proportional quota-sampling, with quotas based on university, sex, and nationality, to recruit students from seven universities between February and September 2022. The English language questionnaire requested socio-demographic information, knowledge, and attitudes about HPV infection and the vaccine. The chi-square test, Student t-test, Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests and multivariable ordinal logistic regression were used to assess differences in proportion, mean, and median according to broad HPV knowledge categories. Results: Three hundred and ninety-eight students were recruited (response rate = 82.3%), of whom 251 (63.1%) were female. Mean age was 21.7 years. Eighty-nine (22.4%, 95% CI 18.4–26.8%) students had poor knowledge about HPV, 220 (55.3%, 95% CI 50.2–60.2%) students had some awareness, and 89 (22.4%, 95% CI 18.4–26.8%) students were knowledgeable. Age, nationality, and field of study influenced the students' knowledge about HPV. Only 25 (6.3%) students had previously been vaccinated against HPV. However, 71% of the unvaccinated students reported being willing to get vaccinated if recommended by their healthcare provider. Conclusions: Overall, 77.7% of the student population had some-to-good levels of knowledge about HPV-related infection, cancer, and vaccination. There are gaps in the student population's understanding and knowledge about HPV. Increasing knowledge can be key toward shared decision-making for HPV vaccination among eligible populations. Targeted public health campaigns and integration into childhood vaccination programs should be critical first steps, especially as most of the surveyed students had a positive outlook on getting vaccinated. Healthcare professionals should be incentivized to increase their HPV knowledge and communication skills, while policymakers can work toward easing barriers in integrating HPV vaccinations in the immunization schedule and encouraging overall HPV vaccination uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccination is one of the most economic and effective strategies for preventing infectious diseases. However, public intention to be vaccinated is, to a certain degree, influenced by issues related to vaccine hesitancy, anti-vaccine movement, and public concerns about safety and adverse effects. Vaccine literacy is considered as a positive factor in improving vaccination intention, however, the correlation between vaccine literacy and vaccination intention has not been thoroughly investigated in mainland China. This study aims to (1) explore the correlation between vaccine literacy and vaccination intention among adults in mainland China; (2) investigate whether participants could seek out vaccine information on their own initiative and whether they knew basic information of common vaccines. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted on 614 adult participants from 27 May to 8 June 2023 by a convenience sampling. Data were collected by using the questionnaire of demographic characteristics, vaccine literacy, vaccination intention, initiative of seeking out vaccine information, and basic vaccine quiz about common vaccines. Data were analyzed by using IBM SPSS version 24.0 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean scores of functional, and interactive-critical vaccine literacy were 2.97 ± 0.70 and 2.73 ± 0.66; the vaccination intentions of influenza, hepatitis B, COVID-19 and HPV were 58.5%, 80.0%, 71.3% and 62.9% respectively; interactive-critical vaccine literacy was significantly and positively associated with vaccination intention. The results also showed: 71.4% of the participants could seek out vaccine information on their own initiative, however, a certain proportion of the participants merely knew vaccine names and did not know basic information of common vaccines, especially influenza vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine. Conclusions: There is still room for improvement in vaccine literacy, vaccination intention of influenza and HPV vaccines, and basic vaccine information. Based on the significantly positive correlation between interactive-critical vaccine literacy and vaccination intention, it is advisable to harness vaccine literacy to boost vaccination intention by communicating and learning basic information of common vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the efficacy of inoculation treatments in preventing anti-vaccination propaganda. Study predictions were tested in an independent-group experiment (N = 165), wherein participants were randomly assigned to a fact-based inoculation or a logic-based inoculation or a control message, with an excerpt from an anti-vaccination conspiracy film, Vaxxed, used as a counterattitudinal attack message. The results indicated that both inoculation treatments (fact-based and logic-based) were effective at instilling resistance to counter-persuasion, as compared to the control condition, and both types of inoculation messages were equal in their potential to facilitate resistance. In addition, we tested whether inoculating participants against an anti-vaccination conspiracy would help prevent the endorsement of other conspiracy theories. The data revealed that inoculating against one type of a conspiracy did not foster protection against other types of conspiratorial ideas, and, similar to previous research, endorsing one type of a conspiracy theory was positively associated with the endorsement of other conspiracies. These and other results are discussed along with their implications, limitations, and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online communities play an important role in spreading public discontent and could contribute to polarization. This study focuses on anti-vaccination views in the Netherlands, which have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the structure and development of five Dutch anti-vaccination Telegram groups and studied their interactivity and posting behaviour. Using group-based trajectory modelling, we examined the development of users' posting behaviour in these groups. We find four posting trajectories across all five groups. A small group of users contributes the majority of posts. Overall, posting frequency declines over time and our results do not show evidence for a group of users whose posting frequency increases. This is taken to indicate that only a small group of users spread their anti-vaccination views through Telegram groups. While social media can reach a broad audience, most users are not necessarily engaged to also actively contribute to the online anti-vaccination community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted dental education significantly, forcing adaptations in both didactic and clinical curricula. This study evaluates the impact of COVID-19 on dental students' mental health and perceptions of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. An anonymous online survey was administered to dental students at Roseman University of Health Sciences, focusing on health experiences and vaccination perceptions. Results showed 56.8% of students were concerned about their emotional health, 82.1% felt stressed, and 60.6% felt depressed. About 81.9% received the vaccine, with 75.5% believing it effective, though only 55.3% supported mandatory vaccination. The pandemic negatively impacted students' emotional health, indicating a need for institutional mental health support. This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and findings relate specifically to that period. Further research can focus on investigation of reasonings behind the sentiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic has produced an abundance of medical misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Many of these narratives appear impervious to scientific evidence and indifferent to the authority of the state. This has resulted in 'true believers' being cast as paranoid and irrational. In this article, we take a different approach by exploring the cultural appeal of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories about COVID-19. Drawing on qualitative analysis of two leading figures of the anti-vaccination movement – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joseph Mercola – we demonstrate how these influencers establish authority by staging indignation against a corrupt scientific establishment and positioning themselves as Truthers offering simple solutions to complex (wicked) problems. By conceptualising what we refer to as the Truther Playbook, we examine how anti-vaccine Truthers capitalise on existing grievances and conditions of low institutional trust to further solidify people's troubled relationship with institutional expertise while drawing attention to the structural conditions and social inequalities that facilitate belief in conspiracy theories. We contend that conspiracy theories offer not only offer alternative facts and narratives but are predicated on identification and in-group membership, highlighting the limits of debunking as a strategy to tackle disinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the establishment of a national travel medicine vaccination network in Germany to monitor the reactogenicity of the newly approved Qdenga® vaccine for dengue. Travel medicine specialists were invited to participate in the network, with 99 out of 1238 contacted specialists joining. The network collected data on vaccine tolerability and side effects, with the majority of participants finding the registration process easy and expressing willingness to participate in future activities. The platform aims to provide unbiased data on novel vaccines to facilitate their integration into clinical practice. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Adolescents with disability have lower vaccination rates than the general population, including HPV vaccination. Understanding the multi-level influences on vaccination in specialist schools is crucial to achieve optimal vaccination coverage and vaccination experiences for adolescents living with disability. Objective: To identify and improve understanding of the facilitators and barriers of HPV vaccination among adolescents with intellectual disabilities or autism in Victorian specialist schools to inform strategies to increase vaccination acceptance and uptake. Methods: Qualitative interviews with key stakeholders (adolescents with disabilities, parents, school and council immunisation staff) from six specialist schools in Victoria, Australia. Data were analysed thematically. Inductively derived themes were then deductively mapped across the UNICEF 'Journey to Immunization' model. Results: 32 interviews were conducted with stakeholders (2 adolescents, 7 parents, 13 school staff, 10 council staff). Trust in vaccines was high, but knowledge of the HPV vaccine was limited. Barriers included lack of accessible information for parents, the consent process, behavioural challenges and vaccine-related anxiety among students. The immunisation program in special schools was perceived as convenient, however preparing students for vaccination day and catering to individual student needs were key. Participants expressed a need for more parent information about options and additional support for vaccination outside of the school program. Conclusions: Our study identified a range of facilitators and barriers to the school immunisation program for students with disabilities in specialist schools. The next phase of this work will use co-design workshops to build on the suggestions for improvement and opportunities that could be leveraged to improve vaccination uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's negative attitudes to vaccines can be motivated by psychological factors—such as fears, ideological beliefs, and cognitive patterns—known as 'attitude roots'. This study had two primary objectives: (1) to identify which of 11 known attitude roots are featured in individuals' self-expressed reasons for negative vaccine attitudes (i.e., a linguistic analysis); (2) to explore how attitude roots present in self-expressed texts are linked to specific psychological measures. To achieve Objective 1, our study collected data from December 2022 to January 2023 from 556 participants from the US, who wrote texts to explain the reasons for their negative vaccine attitudes. The texts encompassed 2327 conceptually independent units of anti-vaccination argumentation, that were each coded for its attitude root(s) by at least two psychological experts. By allowing participants to spontaneously express their attitudes in their own words, we were able to observe how this differed from what participants reported to endorse when presented with a list of arguments. We found that there were four groups of attitude roots based on linguistic similarity in self-expression. In addition, latent class analysis of participants' coded texts identified three distinct groups of participants that were characterised by their tendency to express combinations of arguments related to (1) fears, (2) anti-scientific conceptions, and (3) politicised perspectives. To achieve Objective 2, we collected participants' responses to 11 validated measures of psychological constructs expected to underlie the respective 11 attitude roots, and used a correlational design to investigate how participants' self-expressed attitude roots were linked to these measures. Logistic regressions showed that an expected psychological construct was the strongest, and significant, predictor for expression of three out of the four attitude root groups. We discuss the implications of these findings for health communicators and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2020, uterine cervical cancer (UCC) was the 12th most common cancer among women in France and the 4th worldwide. French health authorities wanted to increase Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination and screening rates. There were still many barriers to these measures among young women, their families, and health professionals and teachers. Between 2014 and 2019, international studies found inconsistent effects of HPV vaccination on UCC screening. In 2022, a survey was conducted among women aged 25 to 40 in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region to assess participation 1) in HPV vaccination and its barriers, 2) in UCC screening as a function of HPV vaccination status. Methods: Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed by QR code in 80 general practices randomly selected in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region between January and June 2022. Results were analyzed bivariately using the Chi2 test, multivariately when numbers allowed, and in age subgroups (sensitivity analysis). Results: 407 complete questionnaires (for 602 participating women) were analyzed. In our sample, 41% of women aged 25 to 40 in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region were vaccinated against HPV viruses in 2022. The risk factors for non-vaccination, after multivariable adjustment, were: the periods of eligibility for vaccination in the early days of French vaccination (2007–2012: odds ratio OR = 0.04 [95% CI, 0.02–0.09]; 2012–2017: OR = 0.5 [0.3–0.8]), information received from non-medical sources (OR = 0.3 [0.2–0.6]), and absence of information about vaccination (OR = 0.12 [0.05–0.27]). In our sample, 90% of women were screened for UCC. In bivariate analysis, women at risk of not being screened were those who were youngest, had been vaccinated against HPV, were not heterosexual, lived alone, had gynecological follow-up by their general practitioner, and did not have regular gynecological follow-up. Sensitivity analysis showed that the only risk factor significantly correlated with non-screening regardless of age group was lack of regular gynecological follow-up. Conclusions: Participation in HPV vaccination and UCC screening is improved by medical education and gynecological follow-up. This multicenter study, limited by the relative youth of vaccination in France, should be repeated after 2037 to assess the possible effect of vaccination on screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the crisis of democracy in Argentina and Brazil, analyzing the influence of institutions, anti-politics, and new right-wing movements. It highlights the rise of leaders like Bolsonaro in Brazil and Milei in Argentina, as well as the resistance and durability of challenges to democracy. The relationship between anti-politics, new right-wing movements, and the democratic crisis is discussed, with a comparative focus between both countries. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction. Antivaccine, denialist, and conspiracy ideas are generally part of an ecosystem of beliefs reinforcing each other. With the advent of covid-19, these ideas figure among the main disinformation contents of counter-official discourses. The article aims to characterize the contents of the Facebook page ‘No to the New World Order’. Method. The content analysis method was employed for the 625 publications on the page during the period studied (October 2020 to January 2022). Analysis. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis, the topic modeling technique, and the Latent Dirichlet Allocation algorithm. Results. Covid-19 was the main focus of the analysed posts (68%). Many posts criticised government measures, while others alleged censorship and media manipulation of unofficial covid-19 information. Additionally, the posts asserted that the pandemic is part of a New World Order promoted by elites. Conservative ideas were also found, alongside the criticism of health, economic, and financial organisations. The most liked posts included two videos: one about a strike by health workers in France and another criticising vaccines. Conclusions. Based on the published content, it can be observed that 'No to the New World Order' serves as a platform for criticizing pandemic management across all fronts. However, this space does not accommodate divergent opinions, criteria, or perspectives, nor does it offer criticism or questioning of the accuracy of shared content. These conditions foster misinformation and polarization on the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of social media as a source of science and health information has brought challenges to informed citizenship and social trust due to the spread of misinformation, particularly anti-vaccination messages that incite hatred and discourage necessary health precautions. These messages often employ emotional appeals and identity cues. However, scholarship examining emotional appeals and identity cues in anti-vax messages is still at the nascent stage. Furthermore, most literature on emotions and identities on social media has focused on text-based platforms, despite the increasing popularity of interactive, multimodal platforms. To address these gaps, our paper analyzes recent TikTok anti-vax videos and incorporates the framework of multimodal frame processing, emotion-as-frames model, affective intelligence theory, and social identity theory. Our paper uncovers how different message modalities affect the impact of emotional narratives and identity cues on user engagement. We also investigate sociopolitical identity cues beyond partisan identities, expanding the current terrain of political communication. Our results demonstrate that audiences engage with emotional and identity cues in anti-vax videos differently based on distinct message modalities. We also found that identity cues related to interpersonal relationships (e.g. parental) and conspiracy groups were prevalent, in addition to partisan identity cues. These results offer new insights into sociopolitical identities beyond partisanship and highlight the importance of considering the multi-modal nature of video platforms. Overall, our paper sheds light on the complex relationship between emotions, identities, and message modalities on social media and provides important implications for addressing misinformation and improving science communication on digital platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the social media discourses on COVID-19 vaccines constructed by U.S. politicians, medical experts, and government agencies, and investigate how various contextual factors influence the likelihood of government agencies politicizing the issue. Taking the political corpus and the medical corpus as two extremes, we propose a language-based definition of politicization of science and measure it on a continuous scale. By building a machine learning classifier that captures subtle linguistic indicators of politicization and applying it to two years of government agencies' Facebook posting history, we demonstrate that: 1) U.S. politicians heavily politicized COVID-19 vaccines, medical experts conveyed minimal politicization, and government agencies' discourse was a mix of the two, yet more closely resembled medical experts;' 2) increasing COVID-19 infection rates reduced government agencies' politicization tendencies; 3) government agencies in Democratic-leaning states were more likely to politicize COVID-19 vaccines than those in Republican-leaning states; and 4) the degree of politicization did not significantly differ across agencies' jurisdiction levels. We discuss the conceptualization of politicization of science, the incumbency effect, and government communication as an emerging area for political communication research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At the time of the emergence of COVID-19, denialist and anti-vaccine groups have also emerged and are shaking public confidence in vaccination. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using online focus groups. Participants had not received any doses of vaccination against the disease. A total of five focus group sessions were conducted with 28 participants. They were recruited by snowball sampling and by convenience sampling. Results: The two major topics mentioned by the participants were adverse effects and information. The adverse effects described were severe and included sudden death. In the case of information, participants reported: (1) consultation of websites on which scientists posted anti-vaccination content; and (2) distrust. Conclusions: At a time when anti-vaccine groups pose a major challenge to public health in general, and to COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in particular, this study is a first step towards gaining deeper insight into the factors that lead to COVID-19 vaccine refusal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A human hookworm vaccine is being developed to protect children against iron deficiency and anaemia associated with chronic infection with hookworms. Necator americanus aspartic protease-1 (Na -APR-1) and N americanus glutathione S-transferase-1 (Na -GST-1) are components of the blood digestion pathway critical to hookworm survival in the host. Recombinant Na -GST-1 and catalytically inactive Na -APR-1 (Na -APR-1[M74]) adsorbed to Alhydrogel were safe and immunogenic when delivered separately or co-administered to adults in phase 1 trials in non-endemic and endemic areas. We aimed to investigate the safety and immunogenicity of these antigens in healthy children in a hookworm-endemic area. This was a randomised, controlled, observer-blind, phase 1, dose-escalation trial, conducted in a clinical research centre, in 60 children aged six to ten years in Lambaréné, a hookworm-endemic region of Gabon. Healthy children (determined by clinical examination and safety laboratory testing) were randomised 4:1 to receive co-administered Na -GST-1 on Alhydrogel plus Na -APR-1(M74) on Alhydrogel and glucopyranosyl lipid A in aqueous formulation (GLA-AF), or co-administered ENGERIX-B hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) and saline placebo, injected into the deltoid of each arm. Allocation to vaccine groups was observer-masked. In each vaccine group, children were randomised 1:1 to receive intramuscular injections into each deltoid on two vaccine schedules, one at months 0, 2, and 4 or at months 0, 2, and 6. 10 μg, 30 μg, and 100 μg of each antigen were administered in the first, second, and third cohorts, respectively. The intention-to-treat population was used for safety analyses; while for immunogenicity analyses, the per-protocol population was used (children who received all scheduled vaccinations). The primary outcome was to evaluate the vaccines' safety and reactogenicity in healthy children aged between six and ten years. The secondary outcome was to measure antigen-specific serum IgG antibody levels at pre-vaccination and post-vaccination timepoints by qualified ELISAs. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02839161 , and is completed. Between Jan 23 and Oct 3, 2017, 137 children were screened, of whom 76 were eligible for this trial. 60 children were recruited, and allocated to either 10 μg of the co-administered antigens (n=8 for each injection schedule), 30 μg (n=8 for each schedule), 100 μg (n=8 for each schedule), or HBV and placebo (n=6 for each schedule) in three sequential cohorts. Co-administration of the vaccines was well tolerated; the most frequent solicited adverse events were mild-to-moderate injection-site pain, observed in up to 12 (75%) of 16 participants per vaccine group, and mild headache (12 [25%] of 48) and fever (11 [23%] of 48). No vaccine-related serious adverse events were observed. Significant anti- Na -APR-1(M74) and anti- Na -GST-1 IgG levels were induced in a dose-dependent manner, with peaks seen 14 days after the third vaccinations, regardless of dose (for Na -APR-1[M74], geometric mean levels [GML]=2295·97 arbitrary units [AU] and 726·89 AU, while for Na -GST-1, GMLs=331·2 AU and 21·4 AU for the month 0, 2, and 6 and month 0, 2, and 4 schedules, respectively). The month 0, 2, and 6 schedule induced significantly higher IgG responses to both antigens (p=0·01 and p=0·04 for Na -APR-1[M74] and Na -GST-1, respectively). Co-administration of recombinant Na -APR-1(M74) and Na -GST-1 to school-aged Gabonese children was well tolerated and induced significant IgG responses. These results justify further evaluation of this antigen combination in proof-of-concept controlled-infection and efficacy studies in hookworm-endemic areas. European Union Seventh Framework Programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We correlate county-level partial and full vaccination rates with results from the 2020 United States (U.S.) election, obtaining Pearson correlation values for each individual state, noting top and bottom values, and observing an almost absolute positive correlation between Biden support and vaccination rates, and inversely a negative correlation when considering Trump support. This trend holds for other territorial categories: regions and subdivisions. Correlation values based on county-level data for two other categories of interest are found: urbanization level and ethnic group majority by county. We find a higher degree of correlation for White majority counties, and a lower one for majority minority counties. When analyzing urbanization level we find the lowest values in highly urban counties. We posit a relationship between these two categories, based on the fact that urban counties are generally more ethnically diverse, and suburban and rural areas generally retain white majorities. Our results showcase the current process of political polarization and history leading to this phenomenon, which includes the role that health topics and issues have played in it, reinforcing the idea of politics and health being strongly linked subjects in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to study metaphors related to the topic of anti-vaccination used by users in digital communication, especially on Twitter. We created a bilingual comparable corpus in French and Italian based on a collection of tweets characterised by no-vax metaphors that were published online between March 2020 and October 2022. The qualitative analysis of the tweets considered shows the use of a variety of metaphors in order to emphasise two different positions taken by users on Twitter: on the one hand, the conspiracy, the fight for freedom, sacrifice, being victims of a health system that forces people to be vaccinated, resistance against the health dictatorship and against the restrictions imposed by the government; on the other hand, the free choice to be vaccinated, the fight against the virus and against the circulation of fake news. This study shows the role of metaphors, which are used to insult or denigrate, as well as to defend and support one’s own position in relation to the vaccination against the Covid-19 virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Media Research / Zeszyty Prasoznawcze is the property of Jagiellonian University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a significant public health concern globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Africa, including Nigeria, HPV prevalence is high, contributing to a substantial burden of cervical cancer. Despite challenges, massive HPV vaccination campaigns in Africa show promise for preventing cervical cancer cases. In Benue State, Nigeria, limited research exists on several aspects of HPV knowledge and attitudes towards HPV among secondary school students. This study aims to bridge this gap by assessing HPV knowledge, prevention practices, willingness to uptake HPV vaccination, and associated attitudes and behaviors among secondary school students in the state. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 10–19 years in six secondary schools in three local government areas (LGAs) in Benue State, Nigeria. Two-stage sampling was used to select the LGAs and schools, with a final sample size of 591 students. The selected schools represent both junior and senior secondary school levels and span across the three senatorial districts of the state. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, HPV knowledge, prevention practices, and willingness for HPV vaccination. Statistical analyses included univariate analyses and tests of association, with significance set at p < 0.05 or 0.001 depending on the level of the stringency of the evidence required. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Only 35.4% of the participants were males, and 86.8% were between the ages of 10 and 16. Only 24.7% acknowledged that HPV can be transmitted during sexual intercourse, and 36.2% recognized that HPV can be transmitted via skin-to-skin contact. 48.1% noted that HPV can cause cervical cancer. Half (50.9%) acknowledged that early sexual debut increases the risk of acquiring HPV, while only 28.1% recognized vaccination as a preventive strategy against HPV infection. Only 35% correctly stated the best time for the HPV vaccine. In assessing the practice of HPV prevention, 14.9% are in a sexual relationship and 10.3% admitted to not using condoms during sexual intercourse. Also, 11.8% have had STIs, and 27.2% have previously undergone HIV screening. Various bivariate analyses showed some varying behavioral differences and correlates of HPV infection among young adolescents in Benue State, Nigeria. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into HPV knowledge, prevention practices, and willingness to uptake HPV vaccination among secondary school students in Benue State, Nigeria. The significance of the differences and correlates was discussed using themes. The research has unpacked complex relationships that could have public health implications for researchers and policymakers. Moreover, ten actionable policy recommendations were prescribed. Several interventions and areas for further study were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1980s, there has been a growing anti-vaccination movement in English-speaking Canada created by a small number of people with alternative understandings of health and medicine, and by parents who believe their children were harmed by vaccination. The anti-vaccination movement of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries was fuelled by growing concerns about environmental toxicity, skepticism about the motivations of the pharmaceutical industry, neo-liberal ideas about health that encouraged patients to take health and health care in their own hands, and the intensive parenting styles characteristic of late twentieth century Canada. To combat vaccine hesitancy, it is vital to understand the arguments of those opposed to vaccination, which are often far more complex and nuanced than the pro-side would like to admit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using two qualitative data sources: free-text responses to an open-ended question of an online survey and subsequent interviews and focus groups, we explored perceptions and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination among health professional students enrolled in Australian universities during the pandemic with data collected from October 2021 to April 2022. Students provided free-text responses to the open-ended question (n = 313) in the online survey and participated in interviews or focus groups (n = 17). Data analysis revealed three themes, including perceptions of COVID-19 seriousness and the risk of contracting the virus, information dissemination, and attitudes toward the vaccine mandate. The study identified evolving perceptions of COVID-19 seriousness among Australian health professional students and their sentiments toward the vaccine mandate. There is a need to ensure the quality of information dissemination related to the vaccine mandate. This may not only support students' uptake of mandatory vaccination but also provide a means for them to address vaccination with healthcare consumers and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It was to understand HPV vaccination patterns, uptake, perceptions, and sexual risk factors in students at a Midwest public university. Participants: Students were enrolled during the spring 2024 semester at the University of Iowa. Methods: A survey was developed and emailed to 28,095 students asking demographic, general and sexual health, and HPV-related questions. Results: The response rate was 4.9%, with 76% females and a median age of 22. The HPV vaccine uptake was 82%, with 88% recommending the vaccine. Parental preference was the main reason for being unvaccinated. The median age of sexual debut was 17 years, with a median of 2 sexual partners. Vaccination was associated with female, health science, sexually active, and COVID-19/influenza vaccinated students. Conclusions: HPV vaccine uptake at University of Iowa students is higher than the national and Iowa averages. Increased education regarding HPV vaccination is still needed, particularly in males, those not having sex, and those not receiving other vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Romania, influenza vaccination uptake among healthcare workers decreased over time despite access to the vaccine being constantly improved. The aim of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the knowledge and attitudes of Dental Medicine and Medicine students towards recommended vaccinations for healthcare workers, focusing on influenza vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the entire 2021–2022 academic year. Data were collected using 2 electronic questionnaires which were applied to the students from the Faculty of Medicine (n = 883) and, respectively, the Faculty of Dental Medicine of the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania. The questionnaires were offered to 1187 students and completed by 911 students (response rate = 77%). Out of these, 85% (n = 778) identified the influenza vaccine as recommended; 35% (n = 321) reported getting an annual influenza vaccination; and 37% (333) reported getting an influenza vaccination in the previous season. Overall, 45% (n = 222) of the respondents who completed the questionnaires from October 2021 to February 2022 reported that they intend to get vaccinated against influenza in the 2021–2022 season and approximately 8% (n = 39) reported that they had already been vaccinated. The multivariable analysis showed that the habit of getting annually vaccinated against influenza as well as the knowledge that influenza vaccine is recommended for all healthcare workers were associated with a higher probability of intending to get vaccinated. The current study emphasizes the need to raise awareness among medical students regarding influenza vaccination and to involve medical education institutions, public health authorities, and healthcare facilities in promoting this vaccination among students since the influenza vaccine uptake rate among medical students included in this study was suboptimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Brazil was strongly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its continental dimension and socio-demographic characteristics pose challenges to distribution and accessibility, making vaccination programs challenging. The objectives of the study were to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of the general population vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 2021 and analyze the strategies implemented during the vaccination program. Study design and setting: A retrospective nationwide study that analyzed data from the OpenDataSUS platform of the Informatics Department of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (DataSUS), which contains information from all individuals in Brazil who have received at least one dose of any vaccine against COVID-19 approved by the National Health Agency (ANVISA) from 17 January to 3 October 2021. Results: Until 3 October, a total of 146,254,578 persons (68.6 per 100 inhabitants) received at least one dose of a vaccine in Brazil. The north and northeast regions had the lowest vaccination rates compared with the remaining regions (North: 56.8, Northeast: 62.0, South: 74.4, and Southeast: 73.2 per 100 inhabitants). Elderly individuals had the highest vaccination rates, particularly those above 70 years old. Heterologous dosing regimens were administered to 1,063,079 individuals (0.7% of those receiving the first dose). Conclusions: The COVID-19 vaccination program reached more than two-thirds of the population in Brazil by 9 months after its start, but the vaccination coverage was heterogeneous, reflecting the country's geographic and socio-demographic characteristics. Establishing priority groups for vaccination was a main characteristic of the vaccination strategy. In addition, technology transfer agreements have played an important role in increasing vaccine accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinction between beliefs and facts, as well as between science and pseudoscience, appears to be hazy in the post-truth era. This study draws inspiration from public discourse concerning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, aiming to explore the narratives of COVID-19 vaccine skeptics within the Greek online public sphere. For the purposes of our study, we analyzed Facebook posts from users' pages and public groups during a three-month period (from September 2021 to November 2021), focusing primarily on content related to COVID-19 vaccination. By employing thematic analysis, we investigated the main themes upon which the anti-vaccination camp bases its rhetoric and the sources it uses to justify its claims. Our findings suggest that in the Greek online context, the anti-vaccination discourse, as expressed on Facebook platform, is an amalgam of distrust towards institutional actors (politicians, the medical community, legacy media, the establishment in general) and concerns regarding the safety/complications of COVID-19 vaccination itself. Our study contributes to the existing body of academic literature addressing the impact of social media platforms on public opinion related to health matters. It underscores the potential and challenges associated with the unregulated dissemination of information within polarized digital contexts. This study sheds light on the distinctive characteristics of anti-vaccine rhetoric, as expressed on social media, within the context of Greek society. It offers insights to scholars and researchers interested in the dynamics of social media discourse and its implications for public health communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]