Emerging and continuing trends in vaccine opposition website contentArchived

Sandra J. Bean. Vaccine 2011; 29: 1874–1880.

Anti-vaccination websites appeal to avoid vaccination for persons searching vaccine information on the internet (or their children). This study has systematically examined these sites and assessed their content, design and credibility attributes, and compared them with earlier anti-vaccination analyses. Although several content claims remained similar to earlier analyses, two new themes emerged: a claim that the A(H1N1) 2009 epidemic threat was “manufactured,” and the increasing presence of so-called “expert” testimony in opposing vaccination. Anti-vaccination websites are constantly changing in response to the trends in public health and the success of vaccination. Monitoring the changes can permit public health workers to mount programs more quickly to counter the opposition arguments. Additionally, opposition claims commonly appeal to emotions whereas the supporting claims appeal to reason. Effective vaccine support may be better served by including more emotionally compelling content.