JITSUVAX Project Transforms Approach to Vaccine Misinformation Through Empathy

Misinformation about vaccines continues to have profound real-world consequences, directly influencing public health outcomes when individuals decline immunization for themselves or their children. As vaccination rates decline, preventable diseases inevitably resurge in communities—a pattern documented repeatedly across regions where vaccine hesitancy takes hold.

Healthcare professionals have long struggled with effectively addressing misconceptions about vaccines, often citing insufficient time and skills to counter deeply held beliefs. The traditional approach—countering misinformation with facts or distributing informational leaflets—frequently fails to change minds or influence behavior.

A groundbreaking EU-funded initiative called JITSUVAX, which concluded last month after 4.5 years of research, has developed a novel approach to this challenge. Drawing inspiration from the martial art of Jiu Jitsu, which leverages an opponent’s force rather than directly opposing it, the project developed strategies that work with patients’ motivations instead of against them.

“Rather than simply providing information, the approach takes an empathetic stance, using people’s motivations and tailoring counter-arguments to align with what a person feels,” explains Dr. Dawn Holford, psychology lecturer and researcher at the University of Bristol and a key contributor to the project.

The cornerstone of JITSUVAX is a technique called Empathetic Refutational Interviewing (ERI). This approach combines the principles of motivational interviewing with targeted refutation of misinformation, all while maintaining a compassionate, patient-centered dialogue.

In field tests, healthcare professionals trained in ERI achieved remarkable results—a 28% increase in vaccine appointment bookings compared to standard approaches. This success stems from the technique’s focus on understanding the underlying “attitude roots” driving vaccine hesitancy rather than merely contradicting surface-level misconceptions.

The ERI approach follows four clear steps: eliciting concerns through open questions, affirming the person to build trust, correcting misconceptions, and providing accurate information. This structured yet flexible methodology allows healthcare providers to address specific concerns while maintaining a positive therapeutic relationship.

“The goal is trust,” Dr. Holford emphasizes. “It’s not a one-shot thing. If the patient isn’t ready to book a vaccine appointment at the end of the conversation, that’s okay. They might return to discuss it again, and that continued dialogue is a positive outcome in itself.”

To support healthcare professionals in implementing this approach, JITSUVAX researchers have developed comprehensive resources, including a freely available online tool that details eleven fundamental “attitude roots” underpinning vaccine hesitancy. For each root cause, the resource provides guidance on understanding patient perspectives and crafting effective responses.

For instance, when encountering patients who believe “natural is best,” healthcare professionals can acknowledge the value of natural approaches while explaining how vaccines actually support the body’s natural immune system. This nuanced framing allows for meaningful dialogue without triggering defensive reactions.

The JITSUVAX training program teaches healthcare professionals to identify and respond to specific misconceptions by first understanding their emotional or cognitive foundation. A belief that vaccines are “unnatural,” for example, might be addressed differently than concerns about pharmaceutical industry influence.

Beyond the project’s official conclusion, its legacy continues through a newly established not-for-profit social enterprise that will offer ERI training to healthcare professionals. This ensures the research findings translate into practical, sustainable changes in clinical practice.

What distinguishes the ERI approach from more confrontational methods is its low risk of damaging the doctor-patient relationship—a crucial consideration when healthcare providers must manage multiple aspects of a patient’s health beyond vaccination decisions.

“Even if you only have a couple of minutes, showing good faith in understanding the patient’s position creates space for future conversations,” Dr. Holford notes. “That’s vastly preferable to shutting down dialogue with an approach that leaves patients feeling unheard.”

As vaccine misinformation continues to spread through social media and other channels, JITSUVAX provides timely, evidence-based tools that enable healthcare providers to engage effectively with vaccine-hesitant individuals, potentially turning the tide in one of public health’s most persistent challenges.