Vaccine hesitancy and behavior change theory-based social media interventions: a systematic review

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted problem that cannot be addressed by a single strategy. Behavior change theories and social media tools may together help to guide the design of interventions aimed at improving vaccination uptake. This systematic review aims to identify the breadth and effectiveness of such theories and tools. The systematic review search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, ACM, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and Web of Science databases for studies between January 2011 and January 2021 that applied social media tools to increase vaccine confidence or improve vaccination uptake. The literature search yielded a total of 3,065 publications. Twenty articles met the eligibility criteria, 12 of which were theory-based interventions. The result shows that the Health Belief Model was the most frequently deployed theory, and the most common social media tool was educational posts, followed by dialogue-based groups, interactive websites, and personal reminders. Theory-based interventions were generally more measurable and comparable and had more evidence to trigger the positive behavior change. Fifteen studies reported the effectiveness in knowledge gain, intention increase, or behavior change. Educational messages were proved to be effective in increasing knowledge but less helpful in triggering behavior change. Dialogue-based social media intervention performed well in improving people’s intention to vaccinate. Interventions informed by behavior change theory and delivered via social media platforms offer an important opportunity for addressing vaccine hesitancy. This review highlights the need to use a multitheory framework and tailoring social media interventions to the specific circumstances and needs of the target audience in future interventions. The results and insights gained from this review will be of assistance to future studies.

The vaccine hesitancy continuum among hesitant adopters of the COVID‐19 vaccine

“…Vaccine hesitancy is multifaceted and dynamic and, thus, unlikely to be mitigated through a single strategy or intervention approach. 62 , 63 Current literature identifies a range of possible interventions to address vaccine hesitancy, build confidence in vaccines, and promote vaccine‐seeking behavior. 63 , 64 , 65 Interventions targeting “thoughts and feelings” about vaccination, social processes, and direct behavior change have been implemented in various forms, but not all interventions are equally effective.…”

“…Social processes related to vaccination have also been successfully targeted for intervention, such as with the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable 63 or various dialogue‐based social media interventions. 62 Social process interventions may also benefit from adaptation and targeting for specific levels across the hesitancy continuum. Finally, interventions that target direct behavior change have been described as reliably effective in increasing vaccination, with ease of access, use of incentives, sanctions, or requirements all showing efficacy in randomized trials.…”

COVID-19 Reinfection without Vaccination Vs. with Vaccine: They are not Differentiated by Biological Factors, but by Psycho-Social Variables

“…Vaccine hesitancy: Vaccine hesitancy is not a clear issue, but rather represents a spectrum of beliefs and concerns [31]. Existing research reports that factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance may include gender, background knowledge, perceived risk of COVID-19, vaccine knowledge, vaccine confidence, etc., and vary between different populations [11].…”

Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Ethnic Minorities Groups in the UK

“…Examples of misinformation on social media includes links between the 5G mobile network and COVID-19, and the theory that the pandemic is a bioweapon or conspiracy (8). Recent systematic review of vaccines hesitancy and social media interventions illustrated a major gap and lack of robust evaluation results (2). As social media grows exponentially, the anti-vax movement is also expected to spread further across the multitude of platforms.…”