• Last updated: Wed, May 28, 2025Status: Ongoing
• Jonatan Riberth, Svenja Miltner, and Anton Arbman Hansing

The Costs of Narratives in Public Health: How Inaccurate Information Shapes Vaccine Hesitancy

This project investigates how exposure to embolic and thrombotic events following vaccination with AstraZeneca’s Vaxzeria shaped vaccine uptake behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we study whether individuals who witnessed or were otherwise exposed to blood clot events became more hesitant to receive other COVID-19 vaccine brands, despite the absence of similar associated risks. The project builds on the premise that narratives—especially those involving adverse health events—can have a lasting influence on public perception, even when contradicted by scientific evidence. Drawing on detailed Swedish vaccination and health register data, we examine whether vaccine hesitancy persisted into later stages of the campaign, when the safety profile of alternative vaccines was well established. We expect heterogeneity across socioeconomic groups, with particularly strong effects among vulnerable populations, thereby shedding light on how the unequal distribution of misinformation may contribute to health disparities.