So Many Choices, How Do I Choose? Considerations for Selecting Digital Health Interventions to Support Immunization Confidence and Demand

Abstract

Childhood vaccines are a safe, effective, and essential component of any comprehensive public health system. Successful and complete child immunization requires sensitivity and responsiveness to community needs and concerns while reducing barriers to access and providing respectful quality services. Community demand for immunization is influenced by multiple complex factors, involving attitudes, trust, and the dynamic relationship between caregivers and health workers. Digital health interventions have the potential to help reduce barriers and enhance opportunities for immunization access, uptake, and demand in low- and middle-income countries. But with limited evidence and many interventions to choose from, how do decision makers identify promising and appropriate tools? Early evidence and experiences with digital health interventions for immunization demand are presented in this viewpoint to help stakeholders make decisions, guide investment, coordinate efforts, as well as design and implement digital health interventions to support vaccine confidence and demand.

Keywords: LMIC; children; community health; demand; digital health intervention; health promotion; immunization; low- and middle-income countries; mHealth; mobile messaging; public health system; service delivery; social listening; vaccination; vaccine confidence; vaccines.