A growing proportion of the public (and health care profess…

A growing proportion of the public (and health care professionals) are uncertain about the benefits and the safety of vaccines and recommended immunization practices (Poland and Jacobson, 2001). Such concerns have resulted in underimmunization, disease outbreaks in the United States, and sustained transmissions of vaccine-preventable disease in other countries. These facts indicate that developing communication strategies to support immunization objectives requires understanding the beliefs and values of intended audiences.
To understand all the dimensions of the public’s decision making about vaccines, it is necessary to examine the gaps between what the experts perceive as risks and benefits, and what members of the public perceive to be the risks and benefits of vaccines. This work, informed by research in communication and the social sciences, is needed to (1) develop strategies to mitigate misinformation and to communicate messages relevant to the prevalent concerns, and (2) provide people with the information they need in language they understand to help them make informed decisions.