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Hum Vaccin Immunother
. 2025 Dec;21(1):2448052.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2448052. Epub 2025 Jan 8. Considering the impact of vaccine communication in the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in Canada: A qualitative study of lessons learned for future vaccine campaigns
Jeanna Parsons Leigh 1 2 3 , Stephana Julia Moss 1 3 4 , Jade MacDonald 3 5 , Michal S Cherak 3 5 , Henry T Stelfox 6 7 , Ève Dubé 8 9 , Kirsten M Fiest 6 10 11 , Donna M Halperin 3 12 , Sofia B Ahmed 7 13 , Shannon E MacDonald 14 15 , Sharon E Straus 16 17 18 , Terra Manca 19 20 , Josh Ng Kamstra 21 , Andrea Soo 6 22 , Scott A Halperin 3 5 23
Affiliations
We aimed to understand how experiences with vaccine-related information and communication challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted motivations and behaviors among Canadian adults regarding future vaccines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants purposively selected to ensure diversity in age, sex at birth, self-identified gender, and region. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; findings were mapped to the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model focusing on factors affecting vaccine hesitancy and uptake. Of 62 interviews completed, most were with woman (n = 32, 51.6%) and residents of Ontario (n = 36, 58.1%); the median age was 43.5 yr (interquartile range 23.3 yr). Themes included: 1) accessibility of information, 2) ability to assess information accuracy and validity, 3) trust in communications from practitioners and decision-makers, and 4) information seeking behaviors. Participants expressed various concerns about vaccines, including fears about potential side effects, particularly regarding the long-term effects of novel vaccinations. These concerns may reflect broader societal anxieties, which have been intensified by widespread misinformation and an overload of vaccine information. Moreover, participants highlighted a lack of trust in the information provided by government agencies and pharmaceutical companies, primarily driven by concerns regarding their underlying motives. Concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness negatively impacted future vaccine attitudes and behaviors. Vaccine hesitancy studies should consider how individuals receive, perceive, and seek information within social contexts and risk profiles.
Keywords: COVID-19; communication; interviews; misinformation; vaccine hesitancy.
. 2025 Dec;21(1):2448052.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2448052. Epub 2025 Jan 8. Considering the impact of vaccine communication in the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in Canada: A qualitative study of lessons learned for future vaccine campaigns
Jeanna Parsons Leigh 1 2 3 , Stephana Julia Moss 1 3 4 , Jade MacDonald 3 5 , Michal S Cherak 3 5 , Henry T Stelfox 6 7 , Ève Dubé 8 9 , Kirsten M Fiest 6 10 11 , Donna M Halperin 3 12 , Sofia B Ahmed 7 13 , Shannon E MacDonald 14 15 , Sharon E Straus 16 17 18 , Terra Manca 19 20 , Josh Ng Kamstra 21 , Andrea Soo 6 22 , Scott A Halperin 3 5 23
Affiliations
- PMID: 39773304
- DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2448052
We aimed to understand how experiences with vaccine-related information and communication challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted motivations and behaviors among Canadian adults regarding future vaccines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants purposively selected to ensure diversity in age, sex at birth, self-identified gender, and region. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; findings were mapped to the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model focusing on factors affecting vaccine hesitancy and uptake. Of 62 interviews completed, most were with woman (n = 32, 51.6%) and residents of Ontario (n = 36, 58.1%); the median age was 43.5 yr (interquartile range 23.3 yr). Themes included: 1) accessibility of information, 2) ability to assess information accuracy and validity, 3) trust in communications from practitioners and decision-makers, and 4) information seeking behaviors. Participants expressed various concerns about vaccines, including fears about potential side effects, particularly regarding the long-term effects of novel vaccinations. These concerns may reflect broader societal anxieties, which have been intensified by widespread misinformation and an overload of vaccine information. Moreover, participants highlighted a lack of trust in the information provided by government agencies and pharmaceutical companies, primarily driven by concerns regarding their underlying motives. Concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness negatively impacted future vaccine attitudes and behaviors. Vaccine hesitancy studies should consider how individuals receive, perceive, and seek information within social contexts and risk profiles.
Keywords: COVID-19; communication; interviews; misinformation; vaccine hesitancy.