Playing with fire - What is influencing horse owners' decisions to not vaccinate their horses against deadly Hendra virus infection?
Authors: Goyen Kailiea Arianna, Wright John David, Cunneen Alexandra, Henning Joerg
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Hendra Virus Vaccination Uptake in Australian Horse Owners: Barriers to Protective Health Behaviour Over a decade after the Hendra virus vaccine became available in Australia, uptake remains suboptimal despite the virus's severe consequences for both equine and human health; Goyen and colleagues surveyed 376 Queensland horse owners to understand which factors predict non-vaccination behaviour. The researchers used multivariable logistic regression to analyse responses across 52 potential risk factors, finding that 43% of respondents did not vaccinate their horses against Hendra. Key drivers of non-vaccination included owners' perception of low or uncertain risk in their location, belief that infection severity in humans was moderate rather than severe, failure to vaccinate pets or against strangles, handling of multiple horses weekly, and suspicion that veterinarians promote vaccination primarily for financial gain. Conversely, owners involved in competitive disciplines (dressage, show jumping, eventing) showed significantly higher vaccination rates, suggesting that perceived personal involvement in equestrian communities influences biosecurity decisions. The findings highlight a critical gap between epidemiological risk and owner perception—alongside genuine concerns about adverse effects and insufficient efficacy data—indicating that improving vaccination compliance requires multifaceted communication addressing risk awareness, veterinary trust, and targeted outreach to non-competitive horse owners who may underestimate transmission risk.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Owner education about actual Hendra virus risk in their specific location and management context is critical—many owners underestimate or are uncertain about risk
- •Vaccination decisions are linked to general health practices; addressing vaccination hesitancy may require a holistic approach to herd health rather than focusing on Hendra alone
- •Transparency about veterinary motivations and honest discussion of vaccine side effects and efficacy evidence builds trust and improves uptake
Key Findings
- •43.1% of horse owners did not vaccinate against Hendra virus despite vaccine availability since 2012
- •Perceived low risk of infection and uncertainty about risk were the strongest predictors of non-vaccination
- •Horse owners who did not vaccinate their pets or against strangles were significantly more likely to not vaccinate against Hendra virus
- •Distrust of veterinarian motivations and concern about vaccine side effects were identified barriers to vaccination uptake