The Critical Public Health Value of Vaccines: Tackling Issues of Access and Hesitancy: Proceedings of a Workshop (2021)
Chapter: Appendix A: Workshop Statement of Task
Appendix A
Workshop Statement of Task
A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize a workshop series to examine the current state of vaccine-preventable diseases and the impact of vaccine access and hesitancy globally, and the multidimensional drivers and impacts of declining vaccine confidence. The in-person workshop will explore health systems, research opportunities, communication strategies, and policies that could be considered to address access, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward vaccination.
The workshop series will feature invited presentations and discussions on the following topics:
- The global impact of declining immunization rates on vaccine-preventable diseases from lack of access and confidence;
- Trends and indicators to monitor attitudes surrounding vaccine safety and efficacy, including a focus on regional and cultural differences;
- The complex determinants of vaccination that hinder or promote vaccine uptake;
- The role of health systems and professionals in improving access, influencing vaccine behavior, protecting at-risk communities from vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, and preserving and building confidence in immunization strategies and practices;
- The role of media, anti-vaccine networks, and online misinformation in reinforcing anxieties about vaccine safety and drivers of vaccine hesitancy;
- Strategies to enhance community-based approaches and community engagement efforts for improving access and reducing vaccine hesitancy;
- Communication approaches that would help assuage anxieties about vaccine safety and strengthen public trust in science and health professionals;
- The ethics and effectiveness of legislation that aim to address vaccine hesitancy; and
- Potential priority actions as well as partnerships and collaborations among policy makers, health professionals, national and international health organizations, parents, and community groups to increase immunization access and vaccine confidence.
Speakers and discussants will contribute perspectives from government, academia, private, and nonprofit sectors. The planning committee will organize the workshop series, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. A proceedings of the presentations and discussions will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.
