Commentary by Claire Boogaard, MD, MPH, FAAP
First published November 2022
Last updated May 2024

There are four parts of this module:
Part 1: Immunization Overview
Part 2: Practical Steps to Providing Immunization
Part 3: Vaccine Hesitancy
Part 4: Vaccine Mandates

Part 3: Vaccine Hesitancy — Most individuals are comfortable with the routine vaccinations offered to their child, but there are many reasons why individuals may be hesitant to vaccinate: lack of information about the vaccine, concern about efficacy or safety of the vaccine, mistrust in source of information, lack of understanding of the severity and communicability of the vaccine-preventable disease, and religious or ideological conflicts. Despite this hesitancy, members of the health care team remain the most trusted source of health information and should be discussing vaccines regularly with patients and parents. This section helps you problem-solve with individuals who are currently wary or unwilling to vaccinate their young children.

Keywords: vaccines; immunization; influenza; measles; MMR; RSV; COVID-19