Understand Public Sentiment Around Pediatric Vaccination

Summary

RILA conducted a social listening study to analyze public sentiment around routine pediatric vaccines and the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine. Using Synthesio, we analyzed over 592,000 online conversations to identify key themes, misinformation, and barriers to vaccination. The study found that concerns about safety, ingredients, and long-term side effects are prevalent while routine vaccines are generally perceived as essential and effective. Personal experiences strongly influenced public opinion, and the flu, MMR, and polio vaccines were often compared to the COVID-19 vaccine. Attitudinal barriers—such as mistrust in healthcare providers and a belief that COVID-19 poses minimal risk to children—were more common than structural barriers like access. The findings provide actionable insights to help government agencies refine public health messaging and better address vaccine hesitancy.

Background

RILA conducted a comprehensive social listening study for our government client to better understand online discussions surrounding routine pediatric vaccines and the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine. The objective was to identify key conversation themes, misinformation patterns, and perceived barriers to vaccination across over 100,000+ social media platforms and websites using Synthesio.

Goals

• Monitor online conversations related to pediatric vaccines.

• Identify dominant themes, misinformation patterns, and perceived barriers.

• Pinpoint influential accounts and high-impact content.

• Provide actionable insights to inform future public health messaging issued by US government agencies.

Methodology

• Tool Used: Synthesio (Enterprise Social Listening Platform)

• Scope: 592,000+ conversations across social media and online platforms.

• Focus: Routine pediatric vaccines; conversations mentioning COVID-19 vaccines were included only when discussed alongside routine pediatric vaccines.

Vaccines analyzed in the study included:

• Flu Vaccine (Influenza)

• MMR Vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

• Polio Vaccine

• HPV Vaccine (Human Papillomavirus)

Key Findings

1. Core Themes Identified

• Routine pediatric vaccines are seen as effective and essential for public health.

• Personal experiences (positive and negative) heavily influenced vaccine perceptions.

• Concerns about vaccine safety, ingredients, and long-term side effects were the top topics.

• The flu, MMR, and polio vaccines were most frequently compared to COVID-19 vaccines in online discussions.

2. Barriers to Vaccination

• Attitudinal barriers (e.g., mistrust, perceived low risk of COVID-19 in children) were discussed far more than structural barriers (e.g., vaccine access).

• Distrust toward healthcare providers grew during the pandemic, impacting routine vaccination compliance.

Impact

This research uncovered critical nuances in vaccine hesitancy conversations, allowing public health communicators and advocacy groups to refine messaging, target attitudinal barriers, and strategically engage with influential voices.

Interested in uncovering consumer or patient insights through social listening?

👉 Contact us at hello@rilaglobal.com to learn how we can help you listen smarter and act faster.