In Stuck: How Vaccine Rumors Start—and Why They Won’t Go Away, Heidi Larson, an anthropologist and Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, provides a compelling perspective on the root of vaccine hesitancy — namely, that people feel left out of the conversation. Written in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Larson seems almost clairvoyant in examining the social vectors that contribute to the growing problem of vaccine hesitancy, which came to a head during the pandemic.
The first chapter “On Rumor” sets the stage for the book. Larson writes, “Managing rumors is about understanding and managing the emotions which drive them, not attempting to judge whether they are true or false.” (p. 3). Examples of this through time are drawn from her global perspective — ranging from polio in Nigeria to HPV in Japan — helping to contextualize how culture, history and emotion influence vaccine acceptance. Larson traces how small rumors, when left unaddressed, can spiral into large-scale distrust that undermines entire vaccination programs.
In additional examples, she demonstrates how a crisis of trust is at the root of the more superficial problem of misinformation. She details how different groups have concerns about who is delivering a message, how decisions are made, and what broader political or historical experiences influence the public’s perception of a vaccine or vaccination campaign. The book goes on to explore additional themes, including risk perception, emotional contagion, and the power of belief.
The book is not a how-to manual for changing the current dialogue, but instead helps readers understand the social dynamics that influence vaccine confidence. As we live in a time of misinformation, reading Larson’s book serves as a sobering reminder that the antidote to misinformation and hesitancy is not scientific fact, but rather requires an effort to rebuild trust through humility, empathy and dialogue. Success will depend on understanding people’s fears and motivations — and being present to address them before rumors take root.
Contributed by: Lori Handy, MD, MSCE
In Stuck: How Vaccine Rumors Start—and Why They Won’t Go Away, Heidi Larson, an anthropologist and Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, provides a compelling perspective on the root of vaccine hesitancy — namely, that people feel left out of the conversation. Written in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Larson seems almost clairvoyant in examining the social vectors that contribute to the growing problem of vaccine hesitancy, which came to a head during the pandemic.
The first chapter “On Rumor” sets the stage for the book. Larson writes, “Managing rumors is about understanding and managing the emotions which drive them, not attempting to judge whether they are true or false.” (p. 3). Examples of this through time are drawn from her global perspective — ranging from polio in Nigeria to HPV in Japan — helping to contextualize how culture, history and emotion influence vaccine acceptance. Larson traces how small rumors, when left unaddressed, can spiral into large-scale distrust that undermines entire vaccination programs.
In additional examples, she demonstrates how a crisis of trust is at the root of the more superficial problem of misinformation. She details how different groups have concerns about who is delivering a message, how decisions are made, and what broader political or historical experiences influence the public’s perception of a vaccine or vaccination campaign. The book goes on to explore additional themes, including risk perception, emotional contagion, and the power of belief.
The book is not a how-to manual for changing the current dialogue, but instead helps readers understand the social dynamics that influence vaccine confidence. As we live in a time of misinformation, reading Larson’s book serves as a sobering reminder that the antidote to misinformation and hesitancy is not scientific fact, but rather requires an effort to rebuild trust through humility, empathy and dialogue. Success will depend on understanding people’s fears and motivations — and being present to address them before rumors take root.
Contributed by: Lori Handy, MD, MSCE