Using Best Practices to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Case for the Motivational Interviewing Approach

Abstract

Future control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is dependent on the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. Many factors have swayed the public’s perception of this coronavirus and the new vaccinations, including misinformation, heightened emotions, and the divisive and tumultuous partisan climate. As such, vaccine hesitancy may be more prevalent for the COVID-19 vaccine than others. Healthcare workers are trusted sources of information and have the opportunity to influence an individual’s choice to take the vaccine. For those who initially present as unwilling to be vaccinated, trying to persuade them with facts and scare tactics may cause more resistance. By using the communication approach of motivational interviewing, practitioners can support autonomy to reduce defensiveness, use a guiding style to elicit ambivalence and provide information, address personal agency to ensure that their patients understand that their efforts can reduce risk, and evoke a person’s own argument for vaccination to decrease vaccine hesitancy.

COVID-19 vaccines: addressing hesitancy in young people with allergies

“…For example, through motivational interviewing techniques, clinicians can establish connection, demonstrate respect, support the autonomy of children and families, and create a space where meaningful conversations can occur. 9 Understanding the family's readiness to receive new information and exploring where families experience uncertainty in their decision making creates opportunities for information exchange that can change health behaviour. Such an approach can help families to better understand the true risks and benefits of vaccination and "evoke a person's own argument for vaccination to decrease vaccine hesitancy".…”

“…Such an approach can help families to better understand the true risks and benefits of vaccination and "evoke a person's own argument for vaccination to decrease vaccine hesitancy". 9 Moving forward, conveying the message that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and that potentially serious complications, such as allergic reactions, are very rare (and occur with minimal morbidity), might help to mitigate misinformation and alleviate concerns among children, adolescents, and their families, and particularly those with allergic conditions. Keeping an open mind by inviting and hearing the lived experience of children and families can help to facilitate conversations in which families can be provided with the information they need to help them make informed decisions.…”

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers – supporting healthcare workers to navigate the unvaccinated: Reflections from clinical practice

“…[5] Furthermore, MI is well suited for pressured healthcare settings given its brief nature, and research demonstrating that a range of HCWs can successfully implement it. [6]…”

Building COVID-19 vaccine confidence throughout the immunization neighborhood

“…Motivational interviewing is a collaborative conversational style that is used to strengthen a person's own motivation and commitment to change, and there is strong evidence supporting its use to address vaccine hesitancy. 3,10 It is less about health care providers speaking to patients and more about providers working with their patients to strengthen a patient's own personal motivation and commitment to a specific goal. 10,11 This type of communication style is adapted to meet individual patient needs and to address specific vaccine-related concerns and questions.…”

“…2 Many factors may be influencing the public's perceptions of the new CO-VID-19 vaccines, including mis-and disinformation on social media and other media, concerns about vaccine safety and the rapid development process, and hesitancy to trust the health care system or providers. 3 WHO defines vaccine hesitancy as "a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availably of vaccination services." 4 Vaccine hesitancy is influenced by factors such as complacency, convenience, and confidence and can span a continuum from high vaccine demand to complete vaccine refusal.…”