Philippine E-Journals

Social Media and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Scoping Review

Esmeraldo C. De Las Armas IV | Mark Lenand S. Espiritu

 

Abstract:

Vaccine hesitancy is considered one of the leading health threats, and the spread of anti-vaccination information through social media is a significant concern in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The upsurge of misinformation among the public about vaccine hesitancy is causing public damage and mistrust. The scoping review of literature is the decision of people utilizing social media, vaccine hesitancy, vaccine administration, trust and influence, and anti-vaccine conspiracy were papers published last January 1, 2020, up to January 31, 2022. A total of twelve (12) studies from different countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Bangladesh, India, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and China utilizes the use of online social media relationship that is related to vaccine hesitancy on COVID-19 vaccinations. The selected twelve (12) studies covered a broad population that utilized social media concerning COVID-19 vaccination. The review has four themes identified in the literature: (1) Inner Cognition, (2) Prevalence of Negative Information, (3) Authorities’ Influence, and (4) Social Media Influence. With the increased digitalization of the different sectors, particularly in health information, other health agencies should participate and be proactive in disseminating genuine and truthful information. Vaccination hesitancy is not a simple health threat, but a complex and multi-factorial issue that should be discussed by every sector.