Effectiveness of interventions that apply new media to improve vaccine uptake and vaccine coverage: A systematic review.

Background Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In high and middle-income settings- immunization coverage is relatively high. However- in many countries coverage rates of routinely recommended vaccines are still below the targets established by international and national advisory committees. Progress in the field of communication technology might provide useful tools to enhance immunization strategies. Objective To systematically collect and summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions that apply new media to promote vaccination uptake and increase vaccination coverage. Design We conducted a systematic literature review. Studies published from January 1999 to September 2013 were identified by searching electronic resources (Pubmed- Embase)- manual searches of references and expert consultation. Study setting We focused on interventions that targeted recommended vaccinations for children- adolescents and adults and: i) aimed