Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Vaccine misinformation spread widely during the COVID-19 pandemic, influencing public perceptions of vaccines and reducing vaccination uptake. While health misinformation is not a new phenomenon, the digital age has dramatically amplified its reach and speed, reshaping the way false information impacts public health. Yet the burden of health misinformation has not been well documented to date. This study assessed the health and economic impact of vaccine misinformation on the healthcare system in the United States.
METHODS: We developed a microsimulation model of COVID-19 vaccinations, cases, hospitalizations, ICU visits, and deaths using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published literature. Based on the prevalence of vaccine misinformation and vaccine hesitancy by state and age group, we simulated the health and economic burden of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
RESULTS: Vaccine misinformation cost $2 billion in hospitalization costs and resulted in an additional 2.3 million COVID-19 cases, 66,000 hospitalizations, and 45,000 avertable deaths in 2021. On a per person basis, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Alaska faced had the highest ($10-14 per person) cost burden of misinformation. Preventable hospitalization costs due to vaccine misinformation was largest in California at $229 million, followed by Texas ($173 million), Florida ($171 million), New York ($144 million), and Pennsylvania ($107 million).
CONCLUSIONS: Misinformation is harmful to public health, not only in terms of health outcomes, but also in economic costs. Fostering trust in institutions and science is crucial to addressing widespread health misinformation, avoiding unnecessary expenses, and enhancing public health.