International Journal of Public Health (Feb 2023)

Vaccine Literacy and Vaccination: A Systematic Review

  • Enming Zhang,
  • Zhengyue Dai,
  • Suxing Wang,
  • Xiaolong Wang,
  • Xian Zhang,
  • Qiong Fang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605606
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 68

Abstract

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Objectives: Vaccine literacy (VL) is an essential component of health literacy and is regarded as the promising technique for eliminating vaccine hesitancy. This review summarizes the relationship between VL and vaccination, including vaccine hesitancy, vaccination attitude, vaccination intention, and vaccination uptake.Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library databases. Studies that explored the relationship between VL and vaccination were included, and the PRISMA recommendations were followed.Results: 1523 studies were found, and 21 articles were selected. The earliest article was published in 2015 and focused on the HPV vaccination and VL of female college students. Three studies surveyed parents’ VL about childhood vaccinations, and the remaining 17 focused on COVID-19 VL in different groups.Conclusion: Although VL plays a role in determining the level of vaccine hesitancy across various populations, the association remains unclear. In the future, additional assessment methods could be developed and used to conduct prospective cohort and longitudinal studies to determine the causal relationship between VL and vaccination.

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