UAMS Researchers Find Health Care Providers’ Advice Matters to Those Hesitant about Vaccines
| FAYETTEVILLE — Health care provider recommendations for vaccines are critical for reaching vaccine-hesitant individuals, particularly regarding COVID-19, influenza and HPV vaccination, according to researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
According to several studies published this summer, researchers at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation found that hesitant people who received a provider recommendation had significantly greater odds of being vaccinated than hesitant people who did not.
“Provider recommendations matter a lot, especially when patients are hesitant, because it can considerably increase the odds of a person becoming vaccinated,” said Don Willis, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Institute for Community Health Innovation. “However, not enough people who are hesitant are getting provider recommendations, so hopefully these findings can help health care providers increase vaccine recommendations to their patients.”
According to the World Health Organization, there are vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, saving millions of lives every year. While children need vaccines at different ages, adults are also advised to become vaccinated against illnesses such as HPV, COVID-19 and the flu.
Over the last few months, the Institute for Community Health Innovation has published the following articles regarding vaccination uptake:
- Influences on COVID-19 Booster Uptake Among Adults Intending to Receive a Booster: A Qualitative Study (Health Promotion International)
- Hesitant but Vaccinated: Lessons Learned from Hesitant Adopters (Vaccine)
- Pediatric HPV Vaccination: Provider Recommendations Matter Among Hesitant Parents (Vaccine)
Willis and other researchers at the institute have studied vaccine participation since before the COVID-19 pandemic to learn what factors contribute to a person’s decision to vaccinate or not. Their findings, he said, can influence policy and practices at medical institutions across the country.
“It’s important to understand that vaccine hesitancy and vaccination can coexist and be present at any time,” Willis said. “Including this concept into the definition of vaccine hesitancy allows us to get a more complete view of what it means to be vaccine hesitant, so we can design strategies to target hesitant people and make sure they are getting the information they need from their doctor to make the decision to protect themselves against serious illnesses.”
UAMS offers COVID-19 and flu vaccines to Arkansans across the state through mobile health initiatives, as well as other preventive services. For a full list of services and mobile health events, or to view the institute’s published articles, visit communityhealth.uams.edu.