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.