VACCINATION COVERAGE AND VACCINE HESITANCY IN BRAZIL: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS AND CHALLENGES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN PRIMARY CARE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.061-019Keywords:
Primary Health Care, Vaccination Coverage, Social Determinants of Health, Vaccine Hesitancy, Public HealthAbstract
Vaccination is recognized as one of the most effective strategies for disease prevention and health promotion. However, Brazil has faced significant challenges related to declining vaccination coverage and increasing vaccine hesitancy, a phenomenon influenced by social, economic, cultural, and informational factors. This study aimed to analyze vaccination coverage and vaccine hesitancy in Brazil, emphasizing the social determinants involved and the challenges faced by public health within the scope of Primary Health Care. An integrative literature review was conducted using the SciELO, Virtual Health Library (VHL), Latindex, and Open Journal Systems repositories, including studies published in Portuguese and English between 2022 and 2026. The findings revealed that socioeconomic inequalities, barriers to access health services, misinformation, low perception of the risks associated with vaccine-preventable diseases, and weaknesses in health education initiatives are among the main factors associated with reduced vaccination uptake. Furthermore, vaccine hesitancy has emerged as a growing challenge for immunization policies, requiring strategies aimed at strengthening public trust in vaccines and healthcare services. The role of Primary Health Care was highlighted through educational actions, active outreach, expanded access, and the strengthening of relationships between healthcare professionals and communities. It is concluded that addressing vaccine hesitancy requires intersectoral and socially contextualized interventions to ensure adequate vaccination coverage and collective population protection.
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