PhD Defence Veja Widdershoven

Keywords: Vaccination acceptance, outbreaks, maternal vaccinations, motivational interviewing
 

"Unravelling vaccination behaviour: Observational and experimental studies"

The dissertation investigates vaccine willingness and comprises three main sections. The first section identifies factors influencing vaccination behavior during MenAWCY and mpox outbreaks. The second section focuses on differences in acceptance and intention for maternal vaccinations (pertussis, influenza, and COVID-19), emphasizing the role of age and education level. The final section evaluates the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) on vaccine willingness, which proved effective in reducing doubts. Key findings highlight that tailored communication strategies, customized to the type of vaccine and target audience, are crucial. Healthcare professionals play a key role in providing reliable information, and positive recommendations can enhance vaccine acceptance. Furthermore, it is essential to reduce barriers and address disparities in vaccine acceptance to achieve higher vaccination rates.

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