{"id":4677,"date":"2026-01-26T08:59:57","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T08:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/?p=4677"},"modified":"2026-03-27T07:53:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T07:53:38","slug":"supporting-health-workers-in-addressing-vaccine-hesitancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/2026\/01\/supporting-health-workers-in-addressing-vaccine-hesitancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Unterst\u00fctzung von Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4ften im Umgang mit Impfz\u00f6gerlichkeit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Von Dawn Holford, University of Bristol, UK, Linda Karlsson, University of Turku, Finland, Frederike Taubert, Erfurt University, Germany, Emma C. Anderson, University of Bristol, UK, Virginia C. Gould, University of Bristol, UK<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fehlvorstellungen \u00fcber Impfungen richtigstellen<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impfungen geh\u00f6ren zu den erfolgreichsten Instrumenten der \u00f6ffentlichen Gesundheitsvorsorge \u2013 Sch\u00e4tzungen zufolge <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/24-04-2024-global-immunization-efforts-have-saved-at-least-154-million-lives-over-the-past-50-years\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">retten sie jede Minute sechs Menschenleben<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Aber Impfungen sto\u00dfen auch auf \u00f6ffentlichen Widerstand: Anhaltende Desinformation untergr\u00e4bt das Vertrauen der Bev\u00f6lkerung in Impfungen und stellt f\u00fcr Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte mit Aufgaben im Impfbereich eine gro\u00dfe Herausforderung dar. Wie k\u00f6nnen sie mit der Flut falscher Erz\u00e4hlungen \u00fcber Impfungen Schritt halten? Und was k\u00f6nnen sie Patientinnen und Patienten sagen, die diese Narrative als Grund anf\u00fchren, sich selbst oder ihre Kinder nicht impfen zu lassen?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Auch wenn es naheliegt, mit der Darlegung von Fakten zu reagieren, ist die Korrektur von Impf-Fehlvorstellungen, die h\u00e4ufig durch Desinformation gen\u00e4hrt werden, keineswegs mit einer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatechangecommunication.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DebunkingHandbook2020.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blo\u00dfen Erweiterung des Faktenangebots<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> gleichzusetzen. Nehmen wir das Beispiel des <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5789217\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">l\u00e4ngst widerlegten Mythos, Impfungen w\u00fcrden Autismus verursachen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Trotz jahrzehntelanger Forschung und \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigender Evidenz, dass es keinerlei Zusammenhang gibt, begegnen Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte dieser Sorge immer noch bei Eltern. Solche Mythen sind \u201ehaftend\u201c, weil sie auf <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2023-92406-002.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">grundlegende \u00c4ngste der Menschen abzielen und mit pr\u00e4gnanten, auf den ersten Blick intuitiv wirkenden Narrativen arbeiten<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Au\u00dferdem k\u00f6nnen sie von Personen mit <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/counterhate.com\/research\/the-anti-vaxx-industry\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">politischen Interessen instrumentalisiert<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> werden, um diese Mythen in der \u00d6ffentlichkeit weiter am Leben zu halten.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was also k\u00f6nnen Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte zu jemandem sagen, der eine Fehlvorstellung \u00fcber Impfungen hat? Der erste Schritt besteht darin, zu verstehen, was die \u00dcberzeugungen dieser Person motiviert. Nehmen wir zwei Eltern als Beispiel: Tina und Tom. Beide sorgen sich, dass das Immunsystem ihrer Kinder mit den empfohlenen Impfungen \u00fcberfordert sein k\u00f6nnte. Auch das ist eine verbreitete Fehlannahme: Tats\u00e4chlich stellen Impfstoffe im Vergleich zur echten Krankheit nur eine winzige Belastung dar. F\u00fcr Tom kommt die Sorge von seiner Angst vor m\u00f6glichen Nebenwirkungen jeder einzelnen Impfung. Bei Tina hingegen beruht sie auf dem Wunsch, ihr Kind solle eine starke \u201enat\u00fcrliche\u201c Widerstandskraft gegen Krankheiten entwickeln. Diese tieferliegenden Gr\u00fcnde hinter einer ge\u00e4u\u00dferten Sorge werden in der Psychologie als <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2017-29745-009.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201eWurzeln von Einstellungen\u201c<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> bezeichnet, und sie k\u00f6nnen Menschen dazu motivieren, selbst dann an ihren Fehlannahmen festzuhalten, wenn sie mit Fakten korrigiert werden.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oft versp\u00fcren wir den Impuls, Fehlvorstellungen, die wir von anderen h\u00f6ren, direkt zu korrigieren. Forschung zeigt jedoch, dass <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2024-59360-001.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Menschen empf\u00e4nglicher f\u00fcr die Richtigstellung von Impfmythen sind<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, wenn wir zun\u00e4chst die Wurzeln ihrer Einstellungen anerkennen. Dies kann ihre Impfakzeptanz erh\u00f6hen. Um also auf Toms Sorge einzugehen, w\u00e4re es sinnvoll, ihn zuerst darin zu best\u00e4rken, dass es v\u00f6llig normal ist, sein Kind sch\u00fctzen zu wollen. Um Tinas Sorge zu begegnen, w\u00e4re es dagegen angemessen, zun\u00e4chst anzuerkennen, dass es grunds\u00e4tzlich gut ist, unn\u00f6tige Medikamente zu vermeiden. Nachdem man so eine Verbindung hergestellt und Vertrauen aufgebaut hat, kann man ihre Fehlvorstellungen gezielt ansprechen und weiterf\u00fchrende Informationen \u00fcber Impfungen vermitteln.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Wie k\u00f6nnen wir Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte auf Impfgespr\u00e4che vorbereiten?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Der beste Weg, Fehlvorstellungen \u00fcber Impfungen zu begegnen, sind individuell ma\u00dfgeschneiderte, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjgh-2024-017142\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dialogbasierte Ans\u00e4tze<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Wenn Menschen die M\u00f6glichkeit haben, mit Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4ften zu sprechen, denen sie medizinisch vertrauen, kann dies <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cochranelibrary.com\/cdsr\/doi\/10.1002\/14651858.CD010038.pub3\/full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sehr effektiv sein, um die Impfbereitschaft zu erh\u00f6hen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Ein Beispiel f\u00fcr einen solchen Ansatz ist das <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2024-59360-001.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathische Widerlegungsinterview<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ein vierstufiges Rahmenwerk, das Impfgespr\u00e4che mithilfe der oben beschriebenen evidenzbasierten Techniken strukturiert, um Vertrauen aufzubauen und Fehlvorstellungen anzusprechen, w\u00e4hrend zugleich die Wurzeln der Einstellungen der Menschen respektiert werden. Es wurde im Rahmen des <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JITSUVAX-Projekts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> entwickelt und baut auf anderen dialogbasierten Ans\u00e4tzen wie dem <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32281992\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motivational Interviewing<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">auf.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dennoch ist es nicht immer einfach, respektvoll mit Patientinnen und Patienten \u00fcber Impfungen zu sprechen. Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte k\u00f6nnen die Sorge haben, w\u00e4hrend des Gespr\u00e4chs <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/10497323251320921\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Konflikte auszul\u00f6sen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Viele von ihnen <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11265004\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">erhalten kein Training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, das sie auf solche Gespr\u00e4che vorbereitet. Tats\u00e4chlich basiert die Ausbildung oder Anleitung, die Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte f\u00fcr diese wichtige Rolle erhalten, h\u00e4ufig auf einem <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/21645515.2024.2397875\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">informationsbasierten Ansatz<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also darauf, den Patientinnen und Patienten Fakten zu vermitteln &#8211; was in manchen F\u00e4llen sogar kontraproduktiv sein kann. Das JITSUVAX-Projekt f\u00fchrte Interviews mit Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4ften durch, die ihren Bedarf an spezifischer Unterst\u00fctzung und Strategien beschrieben, um mit Fehlvorstellungen von Patientinnen und Patienten im Impfkontext umzugehen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Das <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JITSUVAX-Projekt<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> hat Werkzeuge entwickelt, um Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte dabei zu unterst\u00fctzen, das Empathische Widerlegungsinterview in Impfgespr\u00e4chen anzuwenden:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/welcome\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Webressourcen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, die Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4ften helfen, 11 Wurzeln von Einstellungen zu verstehen, die Impf-Fehlvorstellungen zugrunde liegen.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Jitsuvax-prospectus_english_digital_PDF-03-04-25.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leitf\u00e4den<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> zur Anwendung des Empathischen Widerlegungsinterviews, um Impfgespr\u00e4che zu verbessern.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schulungen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> f\u00fcr Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte im Empathischen Widerlegungsinterview.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wir haben Workshops mit Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4ften in mehreren europ\u00e4ischen L\u00e4ndern durchgef\u00fchrt. Nach der Teilnahme berichteten sie \u00fcber deutliche und nachhaltige Verbesserungen ihrer F\u00e4higkeiten und ihres Selbstvertrauens in Impfgespr\u00e4chen. In Rum\u00e4nien verzeichneten Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte, die im Empathischen Widerlegungsinterview und im Motivational Interviewing geschult wurden, einen st\u00e4rkeren Anstieg der Anzahl vereinbarter Impftermine nach ihren Beratungen als ungeschulte Fachkr\u00e4fte.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsere Erfahrungen decken sich mit den Erkenntnissen der <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/europe\/news\/item\/24-05-2023-new-who-study-shows-health-workers-feel-more-confident-to-recommend-covid-19-vaccination-following-a-training-on-patient-communication\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weltgesundheitsorganisation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Kommunikationsschulungen f\u00fcr Gesundheitsfachkr\u00e4fte st\u00e4rken ihr Vertrauen in Impfgespr\u00e4che und sind eine <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9444894\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lohnende Investition<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Praktische Empfehlungen<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">F\u00fcr Praktikerinnen und Praktiker:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2022 Als Gesundheitsfachkraft haben Sie eine einzigartige Vertrauensposition, wenn es um medizinische Beratung geht. Machen Sie sich bewusst, dass Ihre Gespr\u00e4che den entscheidenden Unterschied f\u00fcr die Impfentscheidung Ihrer Patientinnen und Patienten ausmachen k\u00f6nnen.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Die zugrundeliegenden Wurzeln der Einstellungen Ihrer Patientinnen und Patienten zu verstehen, kann Ihnen im Gespr\u00e4ch helfen. Sie k\u00f6nnen dies als eine Art \u201eDiagnose\u201c betrachten, um zu wissen, wie Sie die ge\u00e4u\u00dferten Sorgen am besten ansprechen. Hilfreiche Techniken f\u00fcr diesen diagnostischen Schritt sind etwa offene Fragen zu stellen (z. B. \u201eWelche Informationen w\u00fcrden Sie in Ihrer Entscheidung unterst\u00fctzen?\u201c) statt geschlossener Fragen (\u201eKann ich Ihnen einige Informationen geben?\u201c) und aktives Zuh\u00f6ren, indem Sie das Geh\u00f6rte widerspiegeln.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Es gibt wirksame, evidenzbasierte Methoden, um Impfmythen richtigzustellen, ohne die Beziehung zu belasten. Suchen Sie nach Schulungen zu diesen Techniken, um Ihr Selbstvertrauen und Ihre F\u00e4higkeiten f\u00fcr Impfgespr\u00e4che zu st\u00e4rken.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Vielleicht sind Sie besorgt, dass dialogorientierte Gespr\u00e4che mehr Zeit ben\u00f6tigen, als in einer Beratung zur Verf\u00fcgung steht. Kommunikationsans\u00e4tze wie das Empathische Widerlegungsinterview bieten Techniken, um selbst wenige Minuten optimal zu nutzen. Es ist besser, Vertrauen aufzubauen und den Grundstein f\u00fcr weitere Gespr\u00e4che zu legen, als Informationen zu vermitteln, die nicht gut aufgenommen werden.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00dcben Sie die erlernten Kommunikationsf\u00e4higkeiten und -techniken regelm\u00e4\u00dfig\u2013 sie verbessern sich mit zunehmender Anwendung.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00dcbersetzt von: Karoline Villinger<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Dawn Holford, University of Bristol, UK, Linda Karlsson, University of Turku, Finland, Frederike Taubert, Erfurt University, Germany, Emma C. Anderson, University of Bristol, UK, Virginia C. Gould, University of Bristol, UK Correcting misconceptions about vaccination Vaccination is one of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":4686,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"<strong>By Dawn Holford, University of Bristol, UK, Linda Karlsson, University of Turku, Finland, Frederike Taubert, Erfurt University, Germany, Emma C. Anderson, University of Bristol, UK, Virginia C. Gould, University of Bristol, UK<\/strong>\n\n<strong>Correcting misconceptions about vaccination<\/strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vaccination is one of the most successful tools of public health\u2014they have been estimated to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/24-04-2024-global-immunization-efforts-have-saved-at-least-154-million-lives-over-the-past-50-years\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">save 6 lives every minute<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But vaccines have also faced public resistance, with persistent disinformation undermining public trust in vaccination, and posing a challenge for health workers with vaccination roles. How do health workers keep up with the flood of false narratives about vaccines? What can they say to patients who cite these narratives as reasons not to vaccinate themselves or their children?\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<!--more-->\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it can be tempting to respond by citing the facts, correcting misconceptions about vaccines\u2014which are often fuelled by disinformation\u2014is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatechangecommunication.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DebunkingHandbook2020.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not as simple as sharing more factual information<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Take the example of a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5789217\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long-debunked myth about vaccines and autism<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: despite decades of research and extensive evidence that there is no link between the two, health workers continue to encounter this concern among parents. Myths like this are \u201csticky\u201d because <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2023-92406-002.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they play on people\u2019s underlying fears, using strong narratives that appear intuitive at first glance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They can also be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/counterhate.com\/research\/the-anti-vaxx-industry\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">weaponised by those with political agendas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep these myths circulating in public.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what can health workers say to someone who holds a misconception about vaccines? It starts with understanding what motivates someone\u2019s beliefs. Let\u2019s imagine two parents, Tina and Tom. Both share a concern that their children\u2019s immune system will not cope with all the recommended vaccinations. This is another common misconception: the fact is that vaccines are only a tiny dose compared to the real disease. For Tom, the concern is motivated by his fear of adverse effects each vaccine might trigger. For Tina, the concern is motivated by her preference for her child to have strong \u201cnatural\u201d resistance to disease. These deeper drivers of the surface concern are known in psychology as \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2017-29745-009.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">attitude roots<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d, and they can motivate people to cling to their misconceptions in the face of factual correction.\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, we have a natural impulse to directly correct misconceptions we hear from others. However, research shows that when we first validate people\u2019s attitude roots, they are more <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2024-59360-001.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">receptive to corrections of vaccine myths<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can increase their acceptance of vaccines. So, to address Tom\u2019s concern, we might want to first reassure him that it\u2019s normal to want to protect his child. In contrast, to address Tina\u2019s concern, it could be better to begin by acknowledging that it is generally good to avoid unnecessary medication. After connecting with them and building trust, we can continue with addressing their misconceptions and sharing more information about vaccination.\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<strong>How can we prepare health workers for vaccine conversations?<\/strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to address vaccine misconceptions is through tailored, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjgh-2024-017142\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dialogue-based approaches<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. When people are able to speak to health workers whom they trust for medical advice, this can be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cochranelibrary.com\/cdsr\/doi\/10.1002\/14651858.CD010038.pub3\/full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highly effective at raising vaccine uptake<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. An example of such an approach is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/fulltext\/2024-59360-001.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathetic Refutational Interview<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a four-step framework to structure vaccine conversations using evidence-based techniques described above to build trust and address misconceptions while respecting people\u2019s attitude roots. It was created by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JITSUVAX project<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and builds on other dialogue-based approaches, such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32281992\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motivational Interviewing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, engaging in respectful dialogue with patients about vaccination is not always easy. Health workers may <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/10497323251320921\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">worry about provoking conflict<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during the discussion. Many health workers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11265004\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do not receive training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to prepare them for such conversations. In fact, where health workers receive training or guidance for this important role, it tends to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/21645515.2024.2397875\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rely on an information-based approach<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of providing facts to patients\u2014which can actually be counterproductive. The JITSUVAX project interviewed health workers who described their need for specific support and strategies they can use to deal with patients\u2019 vaccine misconceptions.\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JITSUVAX project<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed tools to support health workers to use the Empathetic Refutational Interview for vaccine conversations:<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/welcome\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web resources<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to help health workers understand 11 attitude roots that underlie vaccine misconceptions.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Jitsuvax-prospectus_english_digital_PDF-03-04-25.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guidance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on using the Empathetic Refutational Interview to improve vaccine conversations.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/jitsuvax.info\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for health workers in the Empathetic Refutational Interview.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have run workshops with health workers in countries across Europe, who reported strong and lasting improvements after attending training in their skills and confidence for vaccine conversations. In Romania, health workers trained in the Empathetic Refutational Interview and Motivational Interviewing saw a larger increase in the number of vaccination appointments booked after their consultations, compared to untrained health workers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our experience mirrors findings from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/europe\/news\/item\/24-05-2023-new-who-study-shows-health-workers-feel-more-confident-to-recommend-covid-19-vaccination-following-a-training-on-patient-communication\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Health Organization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that communication skills training for health workers helps build their confidence in having vaccine conversations and is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9444894\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">worthwhile investment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<strong>Practical recommendations<\/strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For practitioners:<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a health worker, you hold a unique position of trust when it comes to medical advice. Recognise that your conversations can make the key difference in patients\u2019 vaccine decisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding your patients\u2019 attitude roots can help you in the conversation. You might think of this as diagnosing the situation to know how to approach the patient\u2019s concerns. Techniques to help with this diagnostic step include asking questions that are open (e.g., \u201cWhat information would support your decision?\u201d) instead of closed (\u201cCan I give you some information?\u201d) and practising active listening by reflecting what the patient says.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are effective, evidence-based ways to correct vaccination myths while maintaining rapport. Seek out training in these techniques to support your confidence and skills to approach vaccine conversations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be concerned that dialogue with patients takes more time than you have in a consultation. Communication approaches like the Empathetic Refutational Interview, provide techniques to maximise the conversation even if you only have a few minutes. It is better to build trust and lay the groundwork for future discussions than deliver information that will not be well-received.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep practising the communication skills and techniques you learn \u2013 these tend to improve the more you use them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,28,13,56],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-behavioural-theory","category-communication","category-interventions","category-public-health"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"de","enabled_languages":["en","id","my","bg","zh","hr","cz","da","de","es","fr","gr","he","it","ja","kr","lv","lt","hu","nl","no","pl","pt","ro","ru","sk","fi","sv","tr","uk"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"id":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"my":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"bg":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"hr":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"cz":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"da":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"de":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"fr":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"gr":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"he":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"it":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ja":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"kr":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"lv":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"lt":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"hu":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"nl":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"no":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"pl":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"pt":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ro":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"sk":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"fi":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"sv":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"tr":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"uk":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4677"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4792,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4677\/revisions\/4792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/practicalhealthpsychology.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}