Mistrust and Misperceptions: Vaccine Trust and Confidence in the Context of Inequality (Pauline Paterson)

The presentation was delivered and recorded during the 10th Lifecourse Prevention Summit 2025

In this briefing, Pauline Paterson presents findings from the Vaccine Confidence Project's global research on vaccine trust and hesitancy, highlighting that Europe has the lowest confidence in vaccine safety, importance, and effectiveness of any region worldwide. She examines the multiple determinants of vaccine decision-making — including social norms, personal attitudes, institutional trust, and exposure to misinformation — and argues that low vaccination uptake cannot be reduced to a lack of knowledge alone.

Paterson highlights the growing role of misinformation, including evidence of deliberate efforts to create confusion online, and notes that younger age groups show the sharpest declines in vaccine confidence. She emphasizes that healthcare providers remain the most trusted source of vaccine information, but that they are increasingly stretched in terms of time and confidence to address concerns. Her central message is that rebuilding vaccine confidence requires transparency, credible communication, and genuine public engagement and that governments and health authorities must be seen to act competently and in the public interest if trust is to be maintained. This session further explores the subject in depth, highlighting key takeaways, implications for policy and practice, and insights from the expert presenter to help inform future strategies.