Study on actual situation and countermeasures for vaccine hesitancy in Japan.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10480
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58010:Medical management and medical sociology-related
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Taneichi Hiromichi 富山大学, 学術研究部医学系, 講師 (60565050)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: Vaccine Hesitancy / ワクチン / 予防接種 / 保健師 / 小児科医 / ワクチン忌避

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The actual situation regarding vaccine hesitancy in Japan is unknown. The conference was held on regular basis for families with doubts about vaccines, and their determinants of the parental decision-making were evaluated. As a result, there were many doubts in vaccine hesitancy such as vaccine ingredients, vaccine effects, and side effects. And there ware not few groups to accept their worries and opinions. On the other hand, Health care workers in Japan are not well aware of this issue. As an overall evaluation, a survey of the vaccination status of elementary and junior high school students in Toyama City revealed that 2.2% (90/4046) of junior high school students and 2.6% (191/7348) of elementary school students were Vaccine Hesitancy. There is certainly vaccine hesitancy in Japan, and solving this problem is a matter requiring immediate attention.

Free Research Field

小児救急・集中治療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで実態が不明であったVaccine Hesitancy（ワクチン躊躇）の詳細な状況を評価し、わが国でも看過できないレベルで一般社会においてワクチンへの疑念が高まっている。さらに期せずしてコロナ禍となったことで、本課題への取り組みの必要性が明確化された。本研究において、質的評価では医療者への不信感、信頼欠如がワクチンへの不信感へとつながっており、医療者側の認識変化も必要という結果であった。ワクチン効果が明確なものとそうでないものを混同して表現することは避け、信頼される情報を国民に分かりやすい形で発信する方法の検討が今後の課題と思われた。