RECORDING: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitance: Conversations with Primary Care

Canadian and international surveys indicate that vaccine hesitancy (VH) is a significant barrier to achieving immunization thresholds needed to control COVID-19. Although the number of vaccinations continues to rise, the decrease in VH is occurring at a much slower rate. In recent months, surveys have indicated that at least 18% of Canadians have some level of VH towards COVID-19 vaccines.

Primary Care Physicians’ (PCPs) long-term relationships with patients suggest their advice will carry weight that can ultimately help tip the balance towards vaccine confidence and uptake. Typically these conversations use a ‘deficit model’ of science communication approach, correcting misinformation with facts. Research suggests that this type of communication can often backfire when the source of hesitancy is cultural or social in nature, and can even make previously held hesitancy stronger.

The Vaccine Hesitancy Guide, developed by a research team at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, aims to improve the capacity of clinicians and their teams to effectively communicate and promote vaccine uptake with a broad range of hesitant patients. This interactive tool supports PCPs by helping them 1) identify the origins of their patients’ VH, and 2) draw on successful counselling tactics of colleagues from across the country to communicate effectively.

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