VACtívate: a proposal targeting conscious decision-making regarding vaccination in 20 cities in Colombia

Vaccine hesitancy remains a public health challenge. Several authors point to the need for strategies that strengthen confidence in vaccines, informed decision-making and social responsibility, in addition to improving vaccination coverage. Drawing on the findings of the AderVax project, VACtívate was designed as a psychoeducational intervention aimed at health personnel, community leaders, health authorities and social communicators. VACtívate is a 12-hour in-person course implemented in 20 cities in Colombia. The course comprised four modules: vaccine education, decision-making in vaccination, the role of influential agents, and the integration of public health proposals. A total of 716 people took part. Questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention, and perceptions were gathered through open-ended questions. The data were analysed using SPSS and ATLAS.ti. A significant increase in global learning scores was observed between the pre- and post-intervention assessments (Wilcoxon signed-rank test: W = 2,099, Z = − 6.31, p < 0.001; r_rb = 0.60). Participants identified personal, family, emotional, work-related and social factors as determinants of the decision to be vaccinated. They also highlighted the relevance of community leadership, intersectoral work and the co-creation of strategies to counter disinformation and strengthen confidence in vaccines. Following the implementation of VACtívate, participants showed an increase in knowledge scores in the pre–post assessment. While these changes cannot be attributed solely to the intervention, the findings highlight the relevance of culturally appropriate public health proposals adapted to territorial needs and developed with the participation of diverse social and institutional actors.