Public confidence in vaccination is vital to the success of immunisation programmes worldwide. Understanding the dynamics of vaccine confidence is therefore of great importance for global public health. Few published studies permit global comparisons of vaccination sentiments and behaviours against a common metric. This article presents the findings of a multi-country survey of confidence in vaccines and immunisation programmes in Georgia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom (UK) – these being the first results of a larger project to map vaccine confidence globally.

Influenza vaccines have been used for >60 years and have proven safe and effective. However, use of seasonal influenza vaccine in South-East Asia is sparse, with the majority of doses available for cost in the private sector. In 2012, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) recommended annual influenza vaccination for five high-risk groups: pregnant women, the elderly, persons with a chronic illness, young children, and healthcare personnel.