Vaccine News in India: Trend and Content Analysis of Online Mass Media

"Public confidence in immunization is emerging as an important global public health issue..."

The recent experience of anti-vaccine messages in social media (Facebook, WhatsApp and others) and news media (print and online) targeted at a measles and rubella (MR) campaign in south Indian states has forced national and state governments to develop multichannel communication strategies during subsequent phases of the campaign. Furthermore, vaccine reluctance and resistance were identified as important determinants during the polio eradication programme and required various context-specific social mobilisation and mitigation efforts. In light of these and other experiences indicating the influence of online news and social media on immunisation behaviour, this study examined the profile and sentiments of online media news on vaccine and vaccination in India.

As reported here, the internet penetration in India stands at 35% (2016-17) and is expected to cross 50% by 2020. About 80% of internet traffic is through mobile phone/devices (2nd largest globally), and weekly time spent on mobile media is about 7 times that of television and 15 times that of print media. Public opinion is influenced by messages from various sources, including community key influencers, peers, and mass media, as well as now-emerging social media and past experiences. Although the influences are multidimensional and effects are multidirectional, every component of communication plays a role in shaping vaccine attitudes, acceptance, hesitancy, and resistance. The researchers worry that many of the web-based contents are not regulated or monitored and are at risk of spreading of non-scientific, erroneous, and misleading information.

In order to document mass media messages on vaccine, vaccination, and the national immunisation program in the Indian context that have potential role in shaping vaccine attitudes, the researchers searched the online news published from November 2015 to October 2017. The news contents were interpreted and categorised according to the vaccine and sentiments.

Out of a total of 1,430 news items, 763 were eligible for review after removal of duplicates and unrelated items. The majority (75.5%) of the items focused on the immunisation programme. The MR vaccine topped the news (23.5%), followed by poliomyelitis (10.4%) and Japanese encephalitis (6.6%) vaccines. The news volume increased with the introduction of new vaccines, but news traffic surged with launch of MR vaccine campaign.

While 65.8% of news was positive, 27.9% and 6.35% were negative and neutral, respectively. The negative news mainly focused on adverse events following vaccination, social resistance to the MR vaccination campaign, shortage of vaccine supply (injectable polio vaccine), and inadequate efforts related to the influenza disease outbreak. Most of the negative reports were reported from sub-state level. "The negative sentiment news are of particular importance in view of the persisting unmet vaccine needs coupled with the emerging vaccine hesitancy and resistance in some segment of population."

The researchers conclude that "The experiences from anti-vaccine sentiments and public activities related to polio eradication program, pentavalent vaccine and MR campaign have indicated the importance of news (earlier print and now internet), social media and informal local communications in maintaining public confidence on the vaccine and program....Research efforts are needed to document and monitor the vaccine sentiments, hesitance and resistance to develop strategies addressing them for sustaining the vaccine confidence and coverage."