# Scientific communication and vaccine hesitation: an analysis of the editorial line of a great Brazilian newspaper

## TL;DR

This paper analyzes how a major Brazilian newspaper's anti-vaccine editorial line may contribute to vaccine hesitancy by spreading misinformation.

## Contribution

The study provides a qualitative analysis of a leading Brazilian newspaper's vaccine-related headlines to assess their scientific accuracy and potential impact on public health decisions.

## Key findings

- The newspaper's headlines showed a trend of misinformation and sensationalism about COVID-19 vaccines.
- Such news contradicted scientific knowledge and could influence public health decisions negatively.
- The study emphasizes the press's responsibility in disseminating reliable information and combating anti-vaccine narratives.

## Abstract

The text critically examines the anti-vaccine editorial line adopted by “Gazeta do Povo”, one of Brazil’s leading newspapers, and its possible repercussions on vaccine hesitancy in the country. By analyzing headlines published over the course of a year, a trend of misinformation and sensationalism was found, addressing supposed or insignificant risks in relation to COVID-19 vaccines. A structured qualitative document analysis was conducted, based on the systematic retrieval of all vaccine-related headlines published by the newspaper between December 2022 and December 2023. Headlines were collected using predefined search terms relevant to COVID-19 vaccination and assessed according to their scientific accuracy and potential to induce vaccine hesitancy, following WHO and CDC communication guidelines. The analysis highlights how such news, often contradictory to scientific knowledge, can negatively influence the decision-making of citizens concerned about their health and that of their children. The article also highlights the responsibility of the press in disseminating reliable information, as well as the need for effective reactions to the anti-vaccine movement and scientific denialism in Brazil and globally.