Summary
Hendra virus disease (HeVD) is an emerging zoonosis in Australia,
transmitted to horses from Pteropus bats. Vaccine uptake for
horses is low despite the high case fatality rate of both HeVD in horses
and people. In this review, we investigate the evidence for
evidence-based communication interventions to promote and improve HeVD
vaccine uptake for horses by horse owners and conduct a preliminary
evaluation of potential drivers for HeVD vaccine uptake using the
Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination (BeSD) framework developed
by the World Health Organization. Six records were eligible for review
following a systematic search of peer-reviewed literature in which 33
records were retrieved. Evidence-based communication interventions to
promote and improve HeVD vaccine uptake for horses were not found
despite a comprehensive search and review strategy. Evaluation of
potential drivers for HeVD vaccine uptake using the BeSD framework
indicated that horse owners’ perceptions, beliefs, social processes, and
practical issues are similar to those experienced by parents making
decisions about childhood vaccines, although overall motivation to
vaccinate is lower amongst horse owners. Some aspects about HeVD uptake
are not accounted for in the BeSD framework (for example, alternative
mitigation strategies such as covered feeding stations, or the zoonotic
risk of HeVD). Overall, problems associated with HeVD vaccine uptake
appear to be well documented, and therefore, we propose that we should
move from a problems-focused to a solutions-focused approach to reduce
the risk of HeVD for humans and horses. Following our findings, we
suggest that the BeSD framework could be modified and used to develop
and evaluate communication interventions to promote and improve HeVD
vaccine uptake by horse owners.