Dataset Information

Vaccine Hesitancy and Exposure to Misinformation: a Survey Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Despite the widespread availability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the USA, vaccine hesitancy continues to represent a significant impediment to the attainment of herd immunity and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey analysis provides an update for clinical healthcare providers and public health officials regarding current trends in misinformation exposure, as well as common objections to COVID-19 vaccination.

Methods

We conducted a web-based survey of 600 adults in the state of Florida between June 3 and June 14, 2021. Access to the sample was purchased through an industry-leading market research provider (Prodege MR), and survey respondents were selected using a stratified, quota sampling approach to ensure representativeness. Balanced quotas were determined (by region of the state) for gender, age, race, education, and ethnicity. The survey responses were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics, as well as chi-square testing and a logit regression model.

Findings

High levels of misinformation exposure were observed among participants, with 73% reporting some exposure to misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines in the past 6 months. Exposure to misinformation was directly correlated with vaccine hesitancy. Among those who did not report any exposure to misinformation, 73.8% of respondents were vaccinated. That number fell to 62.9% with exposure to just one misinformation theme and 52.2% for six or more (χ² = 11.349; φ = 0.138; p ≤ 0.05). Politicization was also found to be a major factor in vaccine hesitancy, with 73.4% of self-identified Democrats being vaccinated, compared to only 58.5% of Republicans and 56.5% of Independents (χ² = 16.334; φ = 0.165; p ≤ 0.001). Both misinformation exposure and political affiliation were strong predictors of vaccination even after accounting for other demographic predictors.

Discussion

The survey results add to previous research on misinformation and vaccine hesitancy by quantifying exposure to specific misinformation themes and identifying its relationship to vaccine hesitancy. Overcoming these impediments to vaccination will require strategic and targeted messaging on the part of public health professionals, which may be aided by collaboration with political thought leaders. Understanding the volume and nature of misinformation themes the public is exposed to regarding COVID-19 vaccines may aid public health officials in targeting this vaccine messaging to more directly address reasons for vaccine hesitancy.

SUBMITTER: Neely SR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8528483 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundEffective COVID-19 vaccines have been available since early 2021 yet many Americans refuse or delayed uptake. As of mid-2022, still around 30% of US adults remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. The majority (81%) of these unvaccinated adults say they will "definitely not" be getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Understanding the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake is critical to reducing death and illness from the virus, as well as to inform future vaccine efforts, such as the more recent bivalent (omicron) booster.ObjectiveThis study aimed to expand our understanding of psychosocial determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We focus on both COVID-19-specific factors, such as COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, as well as more global personality attributes such as dogmatism, reactance, gender roles, political beliefs, and religiosity.MethodsWe conducted a web-based survey in mid-2021 of a representative sample of 1376 adults measuring both COVID-19-specific beliefs and attitudes, as well as global personality attributes. COVID-19 vaccination status is reported at 3 levels: vaccinated; unvaccinated-may-get-it; unvaccinated-hard-no.ResultsOur analyses focused on the correlation of COVID-19 vaccination status with 10 psychosocial attributes: COVID-19-specific conspiracy theory beliefs; COVID-19 vaccine misinformation; COVID-19-related Rapture beliefs; general antivaccination beliefs; trait reactance; trait dogmatism; belief in 2020 election fraud; belief in a QAnon conspiracy; health care system distrust; and identification with traditional gender roles. We used a multivariate analysis of covariance to examine mean differences across vaccine status groups for each of the correlates while holding constant the effects of age, gender, race, income, education, political party, and Evangelicalism. Across the 10 psychosocial correlates, several different response scales were used. To allow for comparison of effects across correlates, measures of effect size were computed by converting correlates to z scores and then examining adjusted mean differences in z scores between the groups. We found that all 10 psychosocial variables were significantly associated with vaccination status. After general antivaccination beliefs, COVID-19 misinformation beliefs and COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs had the largest effect on vaccine uptake.ConclusionsThe association of these psychosocial factors with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may help explain why vaccine uptake has not shifted much among the unvaccinated-hard-no group since vaccines became available. These findings deepen our understanding of those who remain resistant to getting vaccinated and can guide more effective tailored communications to reach them. Health communication professionals may apply lessons learned from countering related beliefs and personality attributes around issues such as climate change and other forms of vaccine hesitancy. For example, using motivational interviewing strategies that are equipped to handle resistance and provide correct information in a delicate manner that avoids reactance.

Project description:BackgroundA healthy healthcare system requires healthy healthcare workers. Protecting healthcare workers including nurses against COVID-19 is crucial, and vaccination could be a viable future option. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a global challenge. Nurses, as a trustworthy and creditable source of vaccine-related information, may build public confidence in vaccination. Hence, research on vaccine hesitancy among nurses is warranted.ObjectivesThis study estimated nurses' influenza vaccination behaviors and intention to receive COVID-19 vaccine when available, and examined their corresponding 5C psychological antecedents (confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility). To investigate the impact of COVID-19-related work demands, the mediation effects of work stress on the association between work demands and COVID-19 vaccination intention were also examined.DesignCross-sectional online survey SETTINGS: Nurses were invited to participate via the promotion of a professional nursing organization and by personal referrals during the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong between mid-March and late April 2020.Participants1,205 eligible nurses (mean age = 40.79, SD = 10.47; 90% being female) were included in the analyses.MethodsDemographics, influenza vaccination, intention to have COVID-19 vaccine, the 5C vaccine hesitancy components, work stress and COVID-19-related work demands (insufficient supply of personal protective equipment, involvement in isolation rooms, and unfavorable attitudes towards workplace infection control policies) were reported in the survey.ResultsThe influenza vaccine uptake rate and the proportion intending to take COVID-19 vaccine were 49% and 63%, respectively. Influenza vaccination was associated with working in public hospitals and all 5C constructs (more confidence, more collective responsibility and less complacency, constraints, and calculation), whereas stronger COVID-19 vaccination intention was associated with younger age, more confidence, less complacency and more collective responsibility. COVID-19-related demands were associated with greater work stress, and hence stronger COVID-19 vaccination intention.ConclusionThe potential uptake rate of COVID-19 vaccine among nurses was suboptimal to achieve herd immunity. The 5C constructs were useful in predicting influenza vaccination and, to a lesser extent, the intention to take COVID-19 vaccine. The uncertain attributes such as effectiveness, side effects, and effective duration of the COVID-19 vaccine may contribute to this discrepancy. With less work stress among nurses in the post-pandemic period, the intention to take COVID-19 vaccine will likely drop. The 5C constructs should be infused in vaccination campaigns. While a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready soon, the nursing profession may not be ready to accept it. More research work is needed to boost the uptake rate.Tweetable abstractLess than two-third of nurses intended to take COVID-19 vaccine when available. While a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready soon, nursing profession is not ready to accept it.