CANVax in Brief

CANVax in Brief are short evidence-based articles that aim to inform, engage and inspire its readers by bringing attention to current and emerging issues in immunization, and by profiling initiatives and activities from across Canada that aim to improve vaccine acceptance and uptake.

Contributions to CANVax in Brief are by invitation only. All articles are reviewed by CANVax staff and by the Expert Review Panel as part of the peer-review process prior to publication. If you have questions about CANVax in Brief, contact us.

CANVax Brief Series - CANVax is collaborating with Canada Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) to publish short evidence-based briefs from our CANVax in Brief series throughout 2020. You can read our articles here.

Misconceptions

4 result(s)

Result Type: Blog

Brief Category: Misconceptions

June 22, 2023

Addressing the Polarization of Vaccine Opinions

Marie-Eve Trottier, Noni E MacDonald, Lucie Bucci, Eve Dubé

Opposing viewpoints on the importance and benefits of vaccines are not new. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the divide between opposing opinions on vaccination, which has had an impact on public perceptions. We performed a literature review of more than 150 publications from different fields of research to understand how polarizing views on vaccination affect acceptance and uptake and contribute to the moral distress among health care professionals caring for patients opposed to vaccination. This CANVax in Brief will summarize the results of this literature review and identify some evidence-informed interventions that may help address this issue.

April 28, 2021

"Bites", "Snacks", & "Lunch" Communications for COVID-19 and COVID-19 Vaccines

Noni MacDonald and Eve Dubé

Public health and health care professionals need to be proactive and prepared to anticipate needs and concerns, to listen, and to update communication content and strategies when new data becomes available. It is important to beware of changing the context and how this may affect the way messages are interpreted by patients and peers. Remember that tailoring communication to fit the needs, concerns, level and amount of information needed - "bites", "snacks", and "lunch" - can help combat the infodemic, increase COVID-19 science literacy, and build acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.

June 12, 2020

Beware the public opinion survey's contribution to misinformation and disinformation in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Noni E. MacDonald, Eve Dubé, Devon Greyson D, Janice E. Graham

The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by an "infodemic" of misinformation and disinformation. Given the large degree of uncertainty, the complexity of the science, and rapidly evolving knowledge, well-intentioned misinformation is not surprising. As scientists race to understand a new disease, partial information and guesswork fill the gap until reliable research evidence is established. Unfortunately, disinformation, defined as deliberately false or misleading information, can be expected when crises are used as opportunities to make money or to undermine existing institutions, including education and health care systems.

January 2, 2019

Fake News and Science Denier Attacks on Vaccines. What can healthcare professionals do?

Noni MacDonald - Professor of Paediatrics (Infectious Diseases)

This brief has been updated for publication in the Canada Communicable Disease Report (CCDR). To read the updated version in the CANVax Brief Series, please visit Optimizing communication material to address vaccine hesitancy. The original version of this CANVax brief has been archived and is available upon request. Please contact us for a copy.