Zhang MX, Lv XY, Shi GF, Luo C, Wu XY, Wang WZ, Cheng FM, Chen HX, Tung TH. Effect of ontological insecurity on vaccination behavior against COVID-19: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.
Public Health 2022;
211:157-163. [PMID:
36122529 PMCID:
PMC9288961 DOI:
10.1016/j.puhe.2022.07.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought great uncertainty to our society and it may have disrupted people's ontological security. Consequently, this hospital-based study concerns the impact of ontological insecurity on vaccination behavior against COVID-19.
STUDY DESIGN
This cross-sectional study was conducted among hospital inpatients.
METHODS
A questionnaire survey addressing inpatient ontological insecurity and vaccination behavior against COVID-19 was administered in Taizhou, China. A total of 1223 questionnaires were collected; specifically, 1185 of them were credible, for a validity rate of 96.9%.
RESULTS
The score of ontological insecurity was 13.27 ± 7.84, which was higher in participants who did not recommend vaccination for others than those who did (12.95 ± 8.25 vs 14.00 ± 6.78, P = 0.022). There was no difference between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups (13.22 ± 7.96 vs 13.35 ± 7.67, P = 0.779). Lower ontological insecurity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.81) and being inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.67-2.82) were significantly associated with recommendation of COVID-19 vaccines to others after adjusting for sex, age, education, and occupation. Associations between low ontological insecurity and recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines were observed in men, adults aged 18-59 years, non-farmers, and vaccine recipients.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the ontological insecurity of participants affects their behavior of recommending the COVID-19 vaccination to others rather than getting vaccinated themselves. This promotion of vaccination can be considered from the perspective of improving ontological security in China.
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