Using Behavioral Science to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Cancer Survivors: Communication Strategies and Research Opportunities

Abstract

Due to cancer survivors’ increased vulnerability to complications from COVID-19, addressing vaccine hesitancy and improving vaccine uptake among this population is a public health priority. However, several factors may complicate efforts to increase vaccine confidence in this population, including the underrepresentation of cancer patients in COVID-19 vaccine trials and distinct recommendations for vaccine administration and timing for certain subgroups of survivors. Evidence suggests vaccine communication efforts targeting survivors could benefit from strategies that consider factors such as social norms, risk perceptions, and trust. However, additional behavioral research is needed to help the clinical and public health community better understand, and more effectively respond to, drivers of vaccine hesitancy among survivors and ensure optimal protection against COVID-19 for this at-risk population. Knowledge generated by this research could also have an impact beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic by informing future vaccination efforts and communication with cancer survivors more broadly.

How Scientists View Vaccine Hesitancy

“…While in many ways our findings are generally supported by the literature review, they also confirm (1) that scientists, similar to the general population in the US, hold a surprising diversity of perspectives about vaccine hesitancy and (2) that scientists demonstrate a good deal of reflection on the roles science and scientists play both in the generation and potential reduction in vaccine hesitancy. This latter finding is also reflected in other studies of the roles US scientists take as communicators on vaccines, particularly those in the healthcare profession [ 110 , 111 ].…”

Broad perspectives in understanding vaccine hesitancy and vaccine confidence: an introduction to the special issue

“…Another commentary addresses the multi-level influences on provider recommendations for vaccination, an approach entirely consistent with the SEM (Ellingson et al, 2023 ). The third commentary discusses the unique, multi-level factors that drive COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among cancer survivors and the need for research to develop effective communication strategies to reach this vulnerable population (Vanderpool et al, 2023 ).…”

The effect of COVID-19 on cancer incidences in the U.S

“…In this cross-sectional study including 48,378 individuals with cancer diagnoses, a significant decrease in cancer diagnosis incidence was observed in the first few months of the pandemic, particularly in breast, colon, and rectal cancer incidence. Other cancer sites showed minimal long-term changes in incidence [ 47 ]. The findings of this article confirm what was speculated in Ref.…”