VACCINATION COVERAGE IN BRAZIL: IMPACT OF FAKE NEWS AND CURRENT CHALLENGES

Abstract

Vaccination is essential to prevent infectious diseases and protect lives, but Brazil has suffered from a significant drop in vaccination coverage, which increases the risk of outbreaks of diseases such as measles, yellow fever and HPV. This study aims to investigate the factors behind this drop, with an emphasis on the impact of news manipulation and misinformation, which contribute to vaccine hesitancy. The methodology adopted is a literature review, with analysis of reliable sources, including academic articles and public health reports, to identify and understand how media deception, disseminated mainly on social networks, affects confidence in vaccines. In addition to misinformation, the study highlights factors such as social inequality, barriers to accessing health services and failures in public communication, which especially harm more vulnerable regions. The data analyzed shows that these factors, combined with misinformation, fuel distrust in the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, leading to vaccine hesitancy. It is concluded that a joint effort between the government, health institutions and the media is necessary to promote accessible communication and combat misinformation, aiming to increase vaccination acceptance in the country.