During the World Immunization Week 2023, VAX-TRUST researchers are supporting healthcare professionals in encountering a wide range of varying attitudes and opinions towards vaccination.

Currently, the project is disseminating research results to healthcare professionals to equip them to address and understand parental vaccine hesitancy. With interventions targeted at primary vaccinators, VAX-TRUST aims to enhance reflexivity in the ways in which the healthcare professionals encounter vaccine hesitant parents.

“Healthcare professionals have really appreciated a chance to reflect their experiences on vaccine hesitancy”, says Principal Investigator Pia Vuolanto. Next, the project will compile together the results from various sub-projects in different countries, lessons learnt, and feedback. These will form basis for recommendations on addressing vaccine hesitancy, targeted for healthcare providers and health policy makers.

The ”VAX-TRUST – Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in Europe” research programme investigates vaccine hesitancy as a broad societal phenomenon. The project is carried out in Finland, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, and the UK. VAX-TRUST’s unique contribution is that it conducts multidisciplinary research on vaccine hesitancy.

The World Immunization Week is celebrated annually in the last week of April.