SPECIAL COMMUNICATION
William E Cayley, Jr., MD, MDiv
Corresponding Author: William E Cayley, Jr., MD, MDiv; University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Email: bcayley@yahoo.com
DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2025.250038R1
Keywords: Immunization, Patient Education, Religion, Spirituality, Vaccination
Dates: Submitted: 01-27-2025; Revised: 03-05-2025; Accepted: 03-11-2025
Status: In production for ahead of print.
Religious beliefs are cited as one cause of declining vaccination rates, and religious participation has been associated with hesitancy to receive vaccines. However, many personal vaccine objections attributed to faith-based reasons are more likely matters of personal faith interpretation rather than based on the teachings or traditions of a religious community. Studies have demonstrated ways faith-based hesitancy or skepticism towards vaccines can be addressed at both the individual level and the community level. Evidence to date suggests faith-based vaccine hesitancy and may be best approached through education that addresses and accounts for the patient's spirituality, and by collaboration with organizations that are connected to patients' religious communities.