[How to fight anti-vaccinists prejudices: the viewpoint of public health]

Epidemiol Prev. 2014 Nov-Dec;38(6 Suppl 2):120-3.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

Over the last two decades, growing numbers of parents in the industrialized world are choosing not to have their children vaccinated. The re-emergence of the anti-vaccination movements has been theorized as an important determinant of this phenomenon. The crisis of the «vaccination system» and the resurgence of the anti-vaccination movements is related both, to the increased accessibility to the information from the general population and to the decreased credibility and authority of health professionals. Another critical element in the fight against anti-vaccination movements, in Italy, is the system of assessing the damage from the vaccine, both in pharmacovigilance activities and in the procedures for the compensation of biological damage provided by law. The contrast in these bugs, along with the strengthening of communication skills of the health care workers and to an investment on communication in the mass media, is not to postpone for fighting the anti-vaccination movements.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Access to Information
  • Communication Barriers
  • Consumer Health Information
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Literacy
  • Health Promotion
  • Humans
  • Information Seeking Behavior
  • Internet
  • Italy
  • Mass Media
  • Parents / education
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care*
  • Persuasive Communication*
  • Prejudice*
  • Public Health*
  • Vaccination / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Vaccination / psychology*
  • Vaccines / adverse effects

Substances

  • Vaccines