New research published in PLOS One demonstrates that tailoring public health messaging to align with the values of vaccine-hesitant individuals—specifically by acknowledging distrust of government and affirming personal liberty—increases their openness to COVID-19 vaccination. The study found that acknowledging these concerns can shift vaccination intentions by up to 16 percentage points.
Clinical Insights for Patient Communication
- Value-Based Framing: Messaging that validates personal concerns, such as distrust of institutions or a desire for autonomy, creates a psychological environment where individuals are more receptive to clinical data.
- Reducing Defensive Responses: By addressing the “threat” of perceived coercion, researchers observed that participants became less defensive and more willing to engage with information from health authorities.
- Methodological Context: The findings are based on two online surveys of 1,170 unvaccinated U.S. adults conducted in spring 2021, utilizing randomized messaging slogans compared against standard CDC and Mayo Clinic information.
Shifting Vaccination Intentions Through Value Alignment
The study, led by Christopher Wolsko and Elizabeth Marino of Oregon State University-Cascades, sought to understand why traditional, fact-heavy public health communication often fails to reach vaccine-hesitant populations. Rather than attempting to persuade through data alone, the researchers tested whether acknowledging the roots of vaccine hesitancy—distrust, desire for liberty, and family protection—could lower psychological barriers.
In the first survey, the researchers found that acknowledging government distrust resulted in a 16-percentage-point increase in the number of participants willing to get vaccinated. In the second survey, affirming the value of personal liberty led to an 8-percentage-point increase in vaccine consideration compared to a control group. These results suggest that the “mechanism of action” for improved communication is not the content of the medical information itself, but the reduction of social and institutional friction that prevents the information from being processed.
Data Comparison of Messaging Efficacy
| Messaging Strategy | Survey 1: Vaccination Intent (%) | Survey 2: Vaccination Intent (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Control (Standard CDC/Mayo Info) | 49.5% | 40.7% |
| Government Distrust Acknowledgement | 65.6% | 45.2% |
| Personal Liberty Affirmation | N/A | 48.5% |
| Family Protection Focus | 58.1% | 39.4% |
Bridging the Gap Between Distrust and Clinical Data
Marino, an associate professor of anthropology, notes that the experience of distrust is frequently rooted in personal encounters—such as feeling discriminated against or dismissed within a healthcare setting—rather than mere exposure to misinformation. By addressing these valid feelings, public health communicators may move away from polarized discourse. The researchers emphasize that this strategy is not a tool for manipulation, but a method to foster an environment where patients can make informed decisions based on clinical evidence provided by agencies like the CDC and the Mayo Clinic.
The study’s authors argue that this approach has applications beyond COVID-19. They suggest that similar messaging frameworks could be applied to other public health challenges, such as encouraging safe firearm storage for suicide prevention or promoting conservation behaviors among individuals skeptical of climate change data. The goal is to make communication around health policy less volatile and more inclusive of diverse personal values.
Study Emphasizes Empathy in Public Health Communication
This study focuses on communication strategy, not clinical contraindications.
The research, titled “Incorporating public values into public health communications: Effects of value affirmations on intentions to vaccinate and trust in the U.S.,” was published in the journal PLOS One. The authors maintain that their work highlights the importance of empathy in public health, noting that “understanding and empathizing with the authentic experiences of vaccine-hesitant individuals can make communication around health policy less defensive.”
References
- Wolsko, C., & Marino, E. (2026). Incorporating public values into public health communications: Effects of value affirmations on intentions to vaccinate and trust in the U.S. PLOS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0356783
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Mayo Clinic.
