141 Health-related disinformation: a key determinant of vaccine hesitancy

Abstract EP2.4, e-Poster Terminal 2, September 4, 2025, 11:35 - 12:55 Aims Vaccine hesitancy especially after the Covid-19 pandemic has become a universal health threat and a growing challenge for immunization programmes as identified by the World Health Organization. Disinformation is known for travelling faster than the truth which makes infodemics management a priority. the aim of the paper is to shed light on the factors that may influence vaccine hesitancy with a main focus on the role played by health-related disinformation and misinformation in altering people’s behaviour and attitudes to vaccination. Methods the study uses both qualitative and quantitative surveys done online or face to face and examines the respondents’ views regarding health-related disinformation and vaccination in particular. Respondents are mainly Tunisians and are categorized by demographic to see how different segments respond to answers and vary by either age group, education or employment. Results the survey analysis suggests that exposure to disinformation plays a major role in altering people’s behaviour regarding the intention to vaccinate in the future. Conclusion exposure to disinformation content is a key detriment in vaccine hesitancy. Overcoming this health problem requires governments to implement rigorous infodemic measures to combat the spread of false information that may affect the behaviour and attitude towards vaccination.