Designing and Testing Behaviourally-informed Interventions

Designing and Testing Behaviourally-informed Interventions (Understanding and Addressing Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy Across Livestock Disease Programmes) The overall aim of this project is to develop an evidence-based understanding of the behavioural and social factors that influence vaccine uptake and hesitancy across a range of animal disease contexts, and to identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness of vaccination as a disease prevention, control and preparedness measure. The project will generate evidence to support the design and implementation of future vaccination policies and programmes, ensuring that behavioural considerations are integrated alongside epidemiological, economic and operational evidence. Specifically, the project seeks to: • Improve understanding of the factors influencing livestock keeper, veterinary and wider stakeholder decisions relating to vaccination. • Identify common and disease-specific drivers, barriers and motivations affecting vaccine uptake, hesitancy and participation in vaccination programmes. • Explore if and how behavioural influences vary across disease contexts, stakeholder groups, sectors and policy settings. • Understand the role of trusted advisers, social networks, markets, supply chains, industry bodies and institutions in shaping vaccination decisions. • Assess behavioural challenges associated with routine preventive vaccination, disease eradication programmes, and emergency vaccination deployed during disease outbreaks. • Identify and test specific behavioural interventions, communications approaches and policy mechanisms that could increase vaccine uptake, support programme implementation and improve disease-control outcomes. • Develop a transferable evidence base that can inform future vaccination policies across a range of animal health and welfare contexts.