Public sentiment towards vaccination: characterizing global patterns and drivers of scientific research
Authors: Balsamo Duilio , Offeddu Vittoria , Aghamohammadi Zhina , Chiavenna Chiara , Leone Laura P. , D’Agnese Elena , Sharma Deepak , Torbica Aleksandra , Shayegh Soheil , Andreu-Perez Javier , Melegaro Alessia 
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Global health research is profoundly influenced by economic factors, with high-income countries frequently setting research agendas that may not adequately address local public health needs. Childhood immunisation is an example of such misaligned allocation of research efforts. The success of vaccination campaigns is typically threatened by widespread hesitancy, calling for a better understanding of public sentiment towards vaccination (PSV). However, it is unclear to what extent research on PSV is shaped by local disease endemicity, vaccine sentiment, or economic factors. In this study, we characterised global patterns and drivers of PSV research for five selected vaccines,i.e.polio, measles, human papillomavirus, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2, and assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the observed research dynamics.

Methods

We conducted a machine-assisted literature search on PSV without geographical or time constraints. Through scientometric, Natural Language Processing, network, and statistical methods we modelled the geographical, epidemiological, and economic factors driving research on PSV.

Results

The global patterns of PSV research are primarily influenced by country-specific economic factors, and to a lesser extent by local disease incidence. We found evident imbalances in the distribution and direction of research efforts and disproportionate foreign authorship in studies concerning low-income settings. We found that academic attention to PSV towards measles and polio vaccines was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with potentially negative consequences for current eradication efforts and future research.

Conclusion

Our work highlights persistent inequities in PSV research, whereby shifts in high-income countries’ health research priorities may undermine ongoing efforts. Our findings underscore the importance of promoting equitable research opportunities and research agendas that align with both emerging threats and long-standing global health goals.

Key messages

What is already known on this topic

Public sentiment towards vaccination (PSV) significantly influences vaccination campaign outcomes. While bibliometric studies have explored PSV research patterns, economic and contextual drivers in this research field remain underexplored, and international collaboration dynamics lack in-depth analysis.

What this study adds

This study identifies significant economic disparities shaping PSV research, with high-income countries dominating the field and directing studies toward low-income settings with limited local author representation. It also highlights the COVID-19 pandemic’s role in shifting research focus from critical childhood vaccines to SARS-CoV-2, exacerbating these imbalances.

How this study might affect research, practice or policy

By revealing inequities in PSV research, this work underscores the need for equitable and inclusive research initiatives, prioritizing public health needs while addressing systemic disparities in global health research and policy.