How Misinformation Access Drives Global Vaccine Skepticism

• In Event: Public Opinion and Health Politics: Policy Feedback and Misinformation

Abstract

Vaccine skepticism poses a challenge for governments cross-nationally. Vaccine skeptics are less likely to vaccinate and more likely to oppose pro-vaccine health policies, which are politically divisive in many countries. Consequently, vaccine skepticism can undermine governments' abilities to maintain public safety and fight costly and deadly diseases. Economic development should theoretically lead to more support for scientifically-backed public health attitudes, but with vaccine skepticism, the opposite occurs. We test two theories about the relationship between global vaccine skepticism and economic development. The "Out of Sight" hypothesis suggests that some do not consider the risks of vaccine-preventable diseases because they are rarely experienced directly. The "Misinformation Accessibility" hypothesis theorizes that greater internet access in wealthier countries facilitates the spread of anti-vaccine misinformation. By merging country-level data on communicable disease prevalence and internet accessibility into nationally representative survey data (N = 149,014) from 144 countries, we find virtually no support for the "Out of Sight" hypothesis. However, we find evidence for the "Misinformation Accessibility" hypothesis; people in countries with greater internet access are significantly more likely to hold negative views toward vaccines, especially if they express low levels of trust in government and medical institutions.

Authors

• Kristin Kay Lunz Trujillo, Harvard University

• Matthew P. Motta, Oklahoma State University