Work

Impact of the Anti-Vaccination Movement on the health of children and society

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction and Objective.The Anti-Vaccination Movement has become a significant concern for public health, challenging scientific consensus on vaccine safety and effectiveness, and contributing to declining vaccination rates.The review discusses the consequences of the movement for the health of children and society, with emphasis on psychological factors driving vaccine hesitancy, and presents strategies to mitigate its negative impact.Brief description of the state of knowledge.Medically, the movement has led to a resurgence of preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis.Reduced herd immunity endangers children too young or medically unable to receive vaccines and increases healthcare burdens.Socially, rapidly spreading misinformation, especially on social media, influences public perception more than scientific facts and undermines trust in healthcare professionals.Psychologically, vaccine refusal is fuelled by cognitive biases, fear, conspiracy thinking, and emotional narratives, which often outweigh data-based communication.These mechanisms explain the persistence of false beliefs despite factual corrections.Summary.The movement poses a complex threat to both individual health and trust in science.Combatting it requires consistent medical guidance, strong public health messaging, and building lasting trust in healthcare providers.Effective strategies include the 3Cs model (confidence, convenience, complacency) and the CASE (corroborate, about me, science, explain) approach.Success depends on addressing emotional and cognitive barriers through respectful, empathetic communication and evidence-based advocacy.

Source: Environmental Medicine

DOI: 10.26444/ms/211668