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Charles CM, Noles M, Munezero A, Gallardo N, Bahamondes L, Bento SF, de Pádua KS, Nhauche M, Metelus S, Cecatti JG, Souza RT, Pacagnella RC. Risk factors related to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine additional doses hesitancy among pregnant and non-pregnant people of reproductive age and partners: A Brazilian cross-sectional study. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2024; 166:1144-1160. [PMID: 38532554 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.15512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the predictors of acceptance and hesitancy of additional doses of any SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine among pregnant or recently pregnant and non-pregnant people of reproductive age and partners in Brazil. METHODS We conducted an online cross-sectional study from June 2022 to April 2023 and invited women and partners between 18 and 49 years old to participate. We employed a snowball strategy to reach all potential eligible participants. Our primary outcome was the acceptance rate of the COVID-19 booster vaccine. We estimated the frequency and percentage for the three groups and compared categorical variables using the Chi-square test. Moreover, bivariate, backward stepwise regression, and subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors and predictors of COVID-19 vaccine booster hesitancy. We reported the effect size as OR with a 95% CI. RESULTS We included 1487 participants, and among them, 334 (22.5%) were pregnant or recently pregnant people, 905 (60.8%) were non-pregnant people, and 247 (16.6%) were male partners. Pregnant and recently pregnant people showed greater hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine booster than non-pregnant people (28% vs 15%, P < 0.001) and male partners (28% vs 16%, P < 0.001). Non-pregnant women accepted the COVID-19 vaccine more often than pregnant or recently pregnant people (OR 1.75; 95% CI: 1.13-2.70). The associated factors to the reduced COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance were family income between US$ 566-945.00 (54%), evangelic religion (65%), concern about vaccine safety (80%) and perceived common vaccine importance (93%). CONCLUSION Pregnant people were more hesitant than non-pregnant people to accept the COVID-19 booster vaccine. Family income, religious beliefs, vaccine safety concerns, and perceived common vaccine importance were significant barriers to accepting COVID-19 booster vaccines. The impact of these factors was more evident among pregnant or recently pregnant people, emphasizing the harmful effect of misinformation among this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Charles
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Provincial Health Administration, DPS Manica, Chimoio, Mozambique
| | - Marcelo Noles
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline Munezero
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Negli Gallardo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis Bahamondes
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Campinas Reproductive Health Research Center (CEMICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Silvana F Bento
- Campinas Reproductive Health Research Center (CEMICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Women's Hospital "Prof. Dr. José A Pinotti" - Center for Integral Attention to Women (CAISM), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Karla S de Pádua
- Campinas Reproductive Health Research Center (CEMICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Women's Hospital "Prof. Dr. José A Pinotti" - Center for Integral Attention to Women (CAISM), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marta Nhauche
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Sherly Metelus
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - José G Cecatti
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Campinas Reproductive Health Research Center (CEMICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Renato T Souza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Campinas Reproductive Health Research Center (CEMICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo C Pacagnella
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Jäckle S, Timmis JK. Esoteric beliefs and CAM impact SARS-CoV-2 immunization drivers, uptake and pediatric immunization views in Germany. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:137. [PMID: 39097580 PMCID: PMC11297982 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00928-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies demonstrate that sociopolitical attitudes partially explain variance in (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine hesitancy and uptake. Other attitudes, such as those towards esoteric beliefs, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and religion, have also been proposed. However, pertinent studies provide limited direction for public health efforts, as the impact of such attitudes has been tested in isolation or on different outcomes. Moreover, related associations between SARS-CoV-2 immunization drivers as well as views towards other modes of immunization (e.g., routine pediatric immunization), remain unclear. Based on a sample of ~7400 survey participants (Germany), where esoteric belief systems and CAM (Waldorf, homeopathy) are rather prevalent, and controlling for other sociological factors, we found that (i) individuals with positive attitudes towards Waldorf education and homeopathy are significantly less likely to have received a (further) dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine compared to those with positive views of mainstream medicine; (ii) for the former, immunization decisions are primarily driven by external pressures, and for the latter overwhelmingly by voluntary considerations; (iii) attitudes influencing adult SARS-CoV-2 vaccine uptake similarly influence views towards routine pediatric immunization. Our findings provide significant evidence informing a more nuanced design of public health and communication campaigns, and pertinent policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Jäckle
- Department of Political Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79085, Germany.
| | - James K Timmis
- Department of Political Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79085, Germany
- Athena Institute for Research on Innovation and Communication in Health and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
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Valladares-Garrido MJ, Alvarez-Risco A, Rojas-Alvarado AB, Picón-Reátegui CK, Dawson Aguila F, Del-Aguila-Arcentales S, Davies NM, Failoc-Rojas VE, Pereira-Victorio CJ, Valladares Garrido D, Vera-Ponce VJ, Yáñez JA. Mental Health and Other Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Intention toward Children of Military Parents in Lambayeque, Peru. ScientificWorldJournal 2024; 2024:8873387. [PMID: 39263586 PMCID: PMC11390202 DOI: 10.1155/2024/8873387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that vaccine acceptability is strongly associated with mental health. However, no studies assessing intention to vaccinate (ITV) intention toward children of military parents have been documented. The current research aimed to establish the prevalence and factors of ITV children against COVID-19 in military parents in Lambayeque-Peru, 2021. Analysis was conducted with the dependent variable ITV children reported by military parents. The independent variables were history of mental health, searching for mental health support, food insecurity, resilience, anxiety, depression, burnout, posttraumatic stress, and suicidal risk. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Of 201 military personnel evaluated, 92.5% were male, 82.5% were of the Catholic faith, and the median age was 40.9% of respondents reported seeking mental health help during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was reported anxiety (20.3%), depression (6.5%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (6.5%). Most reported ITV in children against COVID-19 (93%). In the multiple models, we found that Catholics had a 23% higher prevalence of ITV in the children where PR = prevalence ratios and CI = confidence intervals (PR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.01-1.50). Likewise, seeking mental health support increased the prevalence of ITV by 8% (PR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.00-1.15). Seeking mental health support and belonging to the Catholic faith had a higher ITV of children of Peruvian military personnel. Finding mental health support, experiencing burnout syndrome, having a relative who suffers from mental health problems, and being part of the Catholic religion were associated with a higher willingness to immunize the children of Peruvian military members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario J Valladares-Garrido
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Piura, Peru
- Oficina de Epidemiología, Hospital Regional Lambayeque, Chiclayo, Peru
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Neal M Davies
- Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - Virgilio E Failoc-Rojas
- Research Unit for Generation and Synthesis Evidence in Health, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Danai Valladares Garrido
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Piura, Peru
- Oficina de Salud Ocupacional, Hospital Santa Rosa, Piura, Peru
| | - Víctor J Vera-Ponce
- Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru
- Facultad de Medicina (FAMED), Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM), Amazonas, Peru
| | - Jaime A Yáñez
- Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Facultad de Educación, Carrera de Educación y Gestión del Aprendizaje, Lima, Peru
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Parker RD, Meyer JA. Vaccine safety beliefs in the state of Alaska. PUBLIC HEALTH IN PRACTICE 2024; 7:100482. [PMID: 38455969 PMCID: PMC10918553 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2024.100482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Identifying the key factors associated with vaccine hesitancy remains a challenge as has been highlighted throughout the COVID-19 vaccine roll out and pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine characteristics associated with vaccine safety and compare perceived safety by vaccine. Our hypothesis is that vaccine safety perception will vary by vaccine with COVID-19 as ranked lowest for safety. Study design Cross sectional. Methods A statewide sample (n = 1024) responded to an online 28-point questionnaire via anonymous linked invitation. Results Among the eight vaccines assessed, COVID-19 had the lowest perceived safety (53.13%) followed by human papillomavirus HPV (63.38%). A binomial logistic regression assessed COVID-19 vaccine safety beliefs (safe v not safe) finding age, political orientation, and perceived safety of certain vaccines as statistically significant. As age increased by year, vaccine safety beliefs increased. Persons who identified as conservative demonstrated less belief in vaccine safety than all other groups. Among persons who did not perceive the COVID-19 vaccine as safe, 65.8% believed chicken pox was safe, 63.3% and 61.1% perceived hepatitis A& B were safe. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that vaccine safety beliefs differ by vaccine and that persons who do not believe in the safety of the COVID-19 are not exclusively against all vaccines. Understanding factors that increase vaccine safety by vaccine could assist in developing an intervention which could increase belief in safety for all vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer A. Meyer
- University of Alaska Anchorage, Division of Population Health Sciences, Anchorage, AK, USA
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Ejnar Hansen M, David Pickering S. The role of religion and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in England. Vaccine 2024; 42:3215-3219. [PMID: 38677793 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While many countries have successfully deployed COVID-19 vaccination programmes, there are disparities in their uptake. One factor influencing vaccine coverage is religion. Existing research has found a link between religious beliefs and vaccine hesitancy. This study looks at religion in England to examine its relationship with public health. METHODS This analysis used data from a survey of over 12,000 respondents in England, conducted through the YouGov Online Panel. Respondents were asked whether they identified with a religion, and if so which, and the number of COVID-19 vaccinations they had received. We employed logistic regressions to analyse the data, accounting for age, gender, education, generalised trust, trust in government, and political ideology. RESULTS We find that respondents who identify as part of the Church of England have had significantly more COVID-19 vaccinations. Conversely, adherents to the Pentecostal Evangelical and Islamic faiths have had significantly fewer COVID-19 vaccinations. These relationships hold even when adjusting for age, education, level of trust, and political affiliation. CONCLUSION This research indicates a potential influence of religious affiliation on vaccine uptake, highlighting the need for more carefully-tailored public health programmes. Recognizing the diverse associations of different religious affiliations on health behaviour is important for shaping future vaccination campaigns and policy interventions. Engaging with religious communities and leaders may be one method through which to deal with vaccine hesitancy and improve public health.
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Schrodt P, Zhuang J, Guan M. A Conditional Process Analysis of Emerging Adults' Motivated Information Management with Parents, Family Conversation Orientation, and Intentions to Vaccinate for COVID-19. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2024; 39:754-766. [PMID: 36861768 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2023.2185348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Using the theory of motivated information management (TMIM), this study tested the effect of emerging adults' uncertainty discrepancy about COVID-19 vaccines on their intentions to vaccinate. In March and April of 2021, 424 emerging adult children reported on the likelihood of seeking or avoiding information from a parent about COVID-19 vaccines in response to their uncertainty discrepancy and negative emotions related to the vaccines. Results supported the direct and indirect effects specified by the TMIM. Moreover, the indirect effects of uncertainty discrepancy on intentions to vaccinate via the TMIM's explanatory mechanisms were conditioned by family conversation orientation. Consequently, the family communication environment may alter motivated information management in parent-child relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Schrodt
- Department of Communication Studies, Texas Christian University
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Communication Studies, Texas Christian University
| | - Mengfei Guan
- Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma
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Yang H, Poudel N, Simpson S, Chou C, Ngorsuraches S. Important Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccination Among African Americans in Black Belt Region. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024; 11:1033-1044. [PMID: 37071332 PMCID: PMC10112325 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01583-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To identify important barriers to COVID-19 vaccination among African Americans living in the Black Belt region. METHODS A cross-sectional, web-based questionnaire survey was conducted using best-worst scaling case 1 (the object case). Thirty-two potential barriers to COVID-19 vaccination were identified from the literature and confirmed by an expert. A nested balanced incomplete block design was used to generate 62 sets of 16 choice tasks. Each choice task included six barriers. Participants were asked to choose the most and least important barriers to their COVID-19 vaccination in each choice task of one set. The natural logarithm of the square root of best counts divided by the worst counts of each barrier was calculated to rank the importance of barriers. RESULTS Responses from a total of 808 participants were included. Among 32 barriers to COVID-19 vaccination, the five most important barriers were "safety concern of COVID-19 vaccines," "rapid mutation of COVID-19," "ingredients of COVID-19 vaccines," "Emergency Use Authorization (Fast-track approval) of COVID-19 vaccines," and "inconsistent information of COVID-19 vaccines." On the other hand, the five least important barriers were "religious reasons," "lack of time to get COVID-19 vaccine," "no support from my family and friends," "political reasons," and "fear of the needle." CONCLUSIONS Important barriers to the COVID-19 vaccination for African Americans living in the Black Belt region centered around the issues that could be resolved by communication strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heqin Yang
- Department of Health Outcomes Research and Policy, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Nabin Poudel
- Department of Health Outcomes Research and Policy, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Savanah Simpson
- Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Chiahung Chou
- Department of Health Outcomes Research and Policy, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Surachat Ngorsuraches
- Department of Health Outcomes Research and Policy, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
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Preston JL, Khan A. Comparing the influence of intellectual humility, religiosity, and political conservatism on vaccine attitudes in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:343-352. [PMID: 37596812 PMCID: PMC10958756 DOI: 10.1177/09636625231191633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Three studies of US, Canada, and UK respondents examined pro-vaccine attitudes as predicted by intellectual humility, belief in science, religiosity, and political attitudes. Intellectual humility refers to the capacity to understand limits of one's own beliefs and showed strong relationship to pro-vaccine attitudes across samples. Pro-vaccine attitudes were correlated with intellectual humility and negatively correlated with political conservatism and religiosity. Regression models compared overlapping influences of belief predictors on vaccine attitudes. Across countries, intellectual humility was the most consistent predictor of pro-vaccine attitudes when controlling for other beliefs and thinking styles (political conservatism, belief in science, religiosity). In comparison, political conservatism was a significant predictor of vaccine attitudes in regression models on US and Canadian respondents, and religiosity only held as a predictor in regression models in the US sample. We conclude with a discussion of intellectual humility as a predictor of vaccine attitudes and implications for research and persuasion.
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Videl H, Levin C, Azulay Chertok I. Perceived Health Risks, Health Behaviors, and BMI Among Diverse Adults in Israel. J Transcult Nurs 2024; 35:151-160. [PMID: 38158789 DOI: 10.1177/10436596231217681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Obesity is associated with an increased relative risk of COVID-19-related mortality. The interplay of culture and religion in the overweight/obesity context has been minimally examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between preventive health behaviors, sociodemographic factors, and obesity among religiously diverse adults in Israel. METHODS Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, an online survey was distributed to diverse adults in Israel during the pandemic using social media, email, and snowball methods. RESULTS Participants included 635 adults: 69.1% Jewish, 26.5% Muslim, and 4.4% "other." Jewish adults scored lower than others on perceived personal risk (p < .001), infection spread risk (p < .001), and preventive behaviors engagement (p < .005). Higher body mass index (BMI) predicted higher personal risk and higher likelihood of preventive behaviors engagement (p < .001). DISCUSSION Results demonstrate the association between religion, health risk perceptions, and COVID-19-related health behaviors. Nurses should consider the influence of culture and religion on health practices and recommend relevant lifestyle modifications to reduce COVID-19 risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hila Videl
- The Jerusalem College of Technology-Lev Academic Center, Israel
- Herzliya Medical Center, Israel
| | - Chedva Levin
- The Jerusalem College of Technology-Lev Academic Center, Israel
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Glaurdić J, Lesschaeve C. The Politics of Covid-19 Vaccination Hesitancy in Southeastern Europe. COMPARATIVE SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN STUDIES 2024; 72:33-57. [PMID: 38525430 PMCID: PMC10956124 DOI: 10.1515/soeu-2023-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The execution of Covid-19 vaccination drives in former Yugoslavia's successor states has been disappointing. The rapidly evolving literature on the Covid-19 pandemic suggests the levels of support for vaccination are correlated with education, trust in public-health institutions, and exposure to the negative economic and health effects of the pandemic. The explanations of the political foundations of vaccination hesitancy, however, need better empirical grounding. We shed light on this subject by analyzing the results of a survey conducted on more than six thousand respondents from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia, as well as a combination of public-health, economic, and sociodemographic data across more than five hundred municipalities in Croatia. Most notably, we find the political sources of vaccination hesitancy to be strongly related to people's support for the ideas of political parties committed to nationalist populism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josip Glaurdić
- Institute of Political Science, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Christophe Lesschaeve
- Institute of Political Science, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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Edwards BA, Bowen C, Barnes ME, Brownell SE. Christian Student Experiences During Peer Interactions in Undergraduate Biology Courses. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2024; 23:ar7. [PMID: 38215392 PMCID: PMC10956612 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.23-01-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The tension between religion and science as a long-standing barrier to science education has led researchers to explore ways of improving the experiences of Christian students in biology who can experience their Christianity as stigmatized in academic biology environments. As undergraduate science classes become student-centered, interactions among students increase, and Christians may feel a need to conceal their religious identities during peer discussions. In this interview study, we used the social psychology framework of concealable stigmatized identities to explore 30 Christian students' experiences during peer interactions in undergraduate biology courses to find potential ways to improve those experiences. We found that students felt their religious identity was salient during peer interactions in biology, and students thought revealing their religious identity to peers in their biology courses could be beneficial, yet few actually did so. Additionally, though most students anticipated stigma, comparatively few had experienced stigma from other students in their biology courses, despite the prior documented cultural stigma against Christians in biology. These results indicate a need for future studies exploring the impact of learning environments in which students are given the opportunity to share their religious identities with one another, which could reduce their anticipated and perceived stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baylee A. Edwards
- Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281
| | - Chloe Bowen
- Social Perceptions of Science Lab, Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 37132
| | - M. Elizabeth Barnes
- Social Perceptions of Science Lab, Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 37132
| | - Sara E. Brownell
- Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281
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Kajiita RM, Kang’ethe SM. The Pandemics of Mass Destruction: A Comparative Analysis of HIV/AIDS and Coronavirus (COVID-19). J Multidiscip Healthc 2024; 17:889-899. [PMID: 38445068 PMCID: PMC10913803 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s440243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Historically, humanity has suffered and endured deadly pandemics of varying mortality rates. Irrefutably, research shows that the outbreak of pandemics is flooded by mythical and fallacious information among the public, hence stifling the prevention, treatment, and management of diseases. This paper focused on comparing selected aspects of the two pandemics, that is, HIV/AIDS and Coronavirus. This comparative analysis is important for drawing informative lessons for effective response and management of pandemics in the future. Through a literature review analysis, the paper established that both pandemics have more similarities than distinctions. The etiology and epidemiology of the diseases assume a similar cascading trajectory; the public health information about the diseases is characterized by myths, conspiracy theories, illusions, and delusions from the public. The myths associated with pandemics prevail around causation, disease transmission, and cure. The pandemics present economic paradoxes, though arguably the negatives outdo the positives. There is a need for the governments and international health custodians to be richly prepared for the pandemics in the future. This implies having special budgetary allocations for possible pandemic outbreaks, investing in vaccine development and disease surveillance, and training and skilling personnel in all social-health-related sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Mutemi Kajiita
- Department of Social Work; Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
| | - Simon Murote Kang’ethe
- Department of Social Work; Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
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Kiptoo J, Isiiko J, Yadesa TM, Rhodah T, Alele PE, Mulogo EM. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: assessing the prevalence, predictors, and effectiveness of a community pharmacy based counseling intervention. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:111. [PMID: 38184570 PMCID: PMC10771691 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17532-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy is a global challenge. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the problem has persisted despite vaccine availability and decreasing infections. In Uganda, there is still limited information on the extent and predictors of vaccine hesitancy. This study sought to assess the prevalence and predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, and the effectiveness of an intervention that involved community pharmacy counseling in combating COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. METHODS A total of 394 participants were enrolled in a 4-week prospective cohort interventional study. The study was conducted across eight community pharmacies in Mbarara City, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily. The study personnel ascertained the vaccination status of all clients seeking community pharmacy services. All unvaccinated clients were consecutively assessed for eligibility, and eligible clients were systematically enrolled after receiving the community pharmacy services for which they requested. The study intervention involved structured participant counseling (within the pharmacy premise), follow-up short message service (weekly), and telephone calls (bi-weekly). Only participants who did not accept to receive the COVID-19 vaccine despite counseling were followed up for four weeks, or until they accepted to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The effectiveness of the community pharmacy counseling intervention was determined as an increase in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, and desirable attitudinal change towards COVID-19 disease, vaccination exercise, and vaccines. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize data, and multivariate analysis was used to determine the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Out of 394 participants, 221 (56%) were hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Participants expressed several reasons (mean 2±1) for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, mostly concerning vaccine safety (N=160, 47.3%). The overall COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate increased by 25.4 percent points (43.9 - 69.3 percent points) after the study intervention. Age, religion, level of education, distance from the nearest public health facility, having a friend/family diagnosed with COVID-19, and personal suspicion of contracting COVID-19 were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a big challenge in Uganda. A mix of sociodemographic and COVID-19 vaccine perceptions are the key predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Although COVID-19 vaccines were not available at the time of the study, this study found that structured counseling interventions can improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates. Larger prospective studies should evaluate the effectiveness of similar interventions in community pharmacies and other healthcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Kiptoo
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - John Isiiko
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Department of Pharmacy, Uganda Cancer Institute, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Tadele Mekuriya Yadesa
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda
| | - Tumugumye Rhodah
- Department of Nursing, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Paul E Alele
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
| | - Edgar Mugema Mulogo
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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14
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Wiltse D, Viskupič F. Age and partisan self-identification predict uptake of additional COVID-19 booster doses: Evidence from a longitudinal study. Prev Med Rep 2023; 36:102407. [PMID: 37766728 PMCID: PMC10520422 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 continues to threaten public health and authorities recommend that people receive additional doses of booster vaccines. We conducted a longitudinal study to investigate the correlates of uptake of additional COVID-19 booster doses among that population that already received a booster dose. In February 2023, we completed a panel study of 208 adults in the U.S. state of South Dakota who indicated receiving a booster dose in a similar survey conducted in May 2022. We measured COVID-19 vaccination status, trust in government, interpersonal trust, age, gender, education, income, and partisan self-identification. We examined the effect of change in these values of the two trust variables over time. We found statistically significant associations between age, partisan self-identification, and the uptake of additional booster doses. Neither of the time-variant trust variables were statistically significant. Our results showed the presence of differences in vaccination behavior even among the people who are fully vaccinated and boosted.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wiltse
- School of American and Global Studies, South Dakota State University, Box 2212, Brookings, SD 57007, United States
| | - Filip Viskupič
- School of American and Global Studies, South Dakota State University, Box 2212, Brookings, SD 57007, United States
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15
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Baghani M, Fathalizade F, Loghman AH, Samieefar N, Ghobadinezhad F, Rashedi R, Baghsheikhi H, Sodeifian F, Rahimzadegan M, Akhlaghdoust M. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy worldwide and its associated factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. SCIENCE IN ONE HEALTH 2023; 2:100048. [PMID: 39077035 PMCID: PMC11262288 DOI: 10.1016/j.soh.2023.100048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has taken a toll on humans, and the development of effective vaccines has been a promising tool to end the pandemic. However, for a vaccination program to be successful, a considerable proportion of the community must be vaccinated. Hence, public acceptance of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines has become the key to controlling the pandemic. Recent studies have shown vaccine hesitancy increasing over time. This systematic review aims to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate and related factors in different communities. Method A comprehensive search was performed in MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science from January 1, 2019 to January 31, 2022. All relevant descriptive and observational studies (cross-sectional and longitudinal) on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance were included in this systematic review. In the meta-analysis, odds ratio (OR) was used to assess the effects of population characteristics on vaccine hesitancy, and event rate (acceptance rate) was the effect measure for overall acceptance. Publication bias was assessed using the funnel plot, Egger's test, and trim-and-fill methods. Result A total of 135 out of 6,417 studies were included after screening. A meta-analysis of 114 studies, including 849,911 participants, showed an overall acceptance rate of 63.1%. In addition, men, married individuals, educated people, those with a history of flu vaccination, those with higher income levels, those with comorbidities, and people living in urban areas were less hesitant. Conclusion Increasing public awareness of the importance of COVID-19 vaccines in overcoming the pandemic is crucial. Being men, living in an urban region, being married or educated, having a history of influenza vaccination, having a higher level of income status, and having a history of comorbidities are associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matin Baghani
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cognitive and Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzan Fathalizade
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cognitive and Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Loghman
- USERN Office, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Network of Interdisciplinarity in Neonates and Infants (NINI), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Noosha Samieefar
- USERN Office, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Network of Interdisciplinarity in Neonates and Infants (NINI), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Farbod Ghobadinezhad
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- USERN Office, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Network of Interdisciplinarity in Neonates and Infants (NINI), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Ronak Rashedi
- USERN Office, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Network of Interdisciplinarity in Neonates and Infants (NINI), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hediyeh Baghsheikhi
- USERN Office, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Network of Interdisciplinarity in Neonates and Infants (NINI), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sodeifian
- USERN Office, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- USERN Office, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Milad Rahimzadegan
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- USERN Office, Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Meisam Akhlaghdoust
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- USERN Office, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- USERN Office, Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Network of Interdisciplinarity in Neonates and Infants (NINI), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
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16
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Yendewa GA, James PB, Mohareb A, Barrie U, Massaquoi SPE, Yendewa SA, Ghazzawi M, Bockarie T, Cummings PE, Diallo IS, Johnson A, Vohnm B, Babawo LS, Deen GF, Kabba M, Sahr F, Lakoh S, Salata RA. Determinants of incomplete childhood hepatitis B vaccination in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea: Analysis of national surveys (2018-2020). Epidemiol Infect 2023; 151:e193. [PMID: 37920110 PMCID: PMC10728985 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823001735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is effective at preventing vertical transmission. Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea are hyperendemic West African countries; yet, childhood vaccination coverage is suboptimal, and the determinants of incomplete vaccination are poorly understood. We analyzed national survey data (2018-2020) of children aged 4-35 months to assess complete HBV vaccination (receiving 3 doses of the pentavalent vaccine) and incomplete vaccination (receiving <3 doses). Statistical analysis was conducted using the complex sample command in SPSS (version 28). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify determinants of incomplete immunization. Overall, 11,181 mothers were analyzed (4,846 from Sierra Leone, 2,788 from Liberia, and 3,547 from Guinea). Sierra Leone had the highest HBV childhood vaccination coverage (70.3%), followed by Liberia (64.6%) and Guinea (39.3%). Within countries, HBV vaccination coverage varied by socioeconomic characteristics and healthcare access. In multivariate regression analysis, factors that were significantly associated with incomplete vaccination in at least one country included sex of the child, Muslim mothers, lower household wealth index, <4 antenatal visits, home delivery, and distance to health facility vaccination (all p < 0.05). Understanding and addressing modifiable determinants of incomplete vaccination will be essential to help achieve the 2030 viral hepatitis elimination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- George A. Yendewa
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter B. James
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia
| | - Amir Mohareb
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Umaru Barrie
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | - Tahir Bockarie
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | | | - Ambulai Johnson
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Lawrence S. Babawo
- Department of Nursing, School of Community Health Sciences, Njala University, Bo Campus, Sierra Leone
| | - Gibrilla F. Deen
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Mustapha Kabba
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Foday Sahr
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Sulaiman Lakoh
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Robert A. Salata
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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17
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Cummings PE, Lakoh S, Yendewa SA, Massaquoi SPE, James PB, Sahr F, Deen GF, Salata RA, Gevao P, Yendewa GA. Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy among People with HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1685. [PMID: 38006017 PMCID: PMC10674940 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
People with HIV (PWH) incur a higher risk of COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality rates, yet less is known about COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy in this group. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from April to June 2022, using the VAX scale, a validated instrument, to assess attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and calculate the hesitancy (VAX) scores. We used generalized linear models to identify the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Overall, 490 PWH were enrolled (71.4% female, median age: 38 years, median CD4 count: 412 cells/mm3). About 17.3% received ≥1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The mean VAX score was 43.14 ± 7.05, corresponding to 59.9% participants being vaccine-hesitant. A preference for natural immunity (65.8%) and concerns about profiteering (64.4%) were the commonest reasons for hesitancy, followed by a mistrust of vaccine benefits (61.4%) and worries about future effects (48.0%). In the adjusted regression analysis, being a Muslim (β = 2.563, p < 0.001) and having an urban residence (β = 1.709, p = 0.010) were associated with greater vaccine hesitancy, while testing for COVID-19 was associated with reduced vaccine hesitancy (β = -3.417, p = 0.027). These findings underscore the importance of addressing vaccine hesitancy as a critical element boosting COVID-19 vaccine uptake among PWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peterlyn E. Cummings
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (P.E.C.); (S.L.); (F.S.); (G.F.D.); (P.G.)
| | - Sulaiman Lakoh
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (P.E.C.); (S.L.); (F.S.); (G.F.D.); (P.G.)
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (S.A.Y.); (S.P.E.M.)
| | - Sahr A. Yendewa
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (S.A.Y.); (S.P.E.M.)
| | | | - Peter B. James
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia;
| | - Foday Sahr
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (P.E.C.); (S.L.); (F.S.); (G.F.D.); (P.G.)
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone
| | - Gibrilla F. Deen
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (P.E.C.); (S.L.); (F.S.); (G.F.D.); (P.G.)
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (S.A.Y.); (S.P.E.M.)
| | - Robert A. Salata
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Pelema Gevao
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (P.E.C.); (S.L.); (F.S.); (G.F.D.); (P.G.)
- Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, Department of Defense, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone
| | - George A. Yendewa
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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18
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Bacon E, An L, Yang P, Hawley S, Van Horn ML, Resnicow K. Novel Psychosocial Correlates of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Cross-Sectional Survey. JMIR Form Res 2023; 7:e45980. [PMID: 37756115 PMCID: PMC10538360 DOI: 10.2196/45980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective 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. OBJECTIVE This 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. METHODS We 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. RESULTS Our 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. CONCLUSIONS The 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Bacon
- Center for Health Communications Research, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Lawrence An
- Center for Health Communications Research, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Division of General Medicine, School of Medicine University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Penny Yang
- Center for Health Communications Research, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Sarah Hawley
- Center for Health Communications Research, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Division of General Medicine, School of Medicine University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - M Lee Van Horn
- Department of Individual, Family, and Community, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Ken Resnicow
- Center for Health Communications Research, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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19
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Stein RE, Colyer CJ, Corcoran KE, Mackay AM. Pathways to Immunity: Patterns of Excess Death Across the United States and Within Closed Religious Communities. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2023; 62:2820-2835. [PMID: 37261578 PMCID: PMC10233516 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-023-01838-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Public health officials promoted COVID-19 vaccines to limit burdens placed on the U.S. healthcare system and end the pandemic. People in some closed religious communities refused to vaccinate and likely acquired temporary immunity through infection. This paper compares the death rates in Amish, Old Order Mennonites, and conservative Mennonite groups to a rate estimated for the U.S. population. Approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population was immunized against COVID-19, while few in the Amish/Mennonite community were. We find divergent patterns. Once vaccines became available, excess deaths declined in the general population and remained elevated among Amish and Mennonites. Vaccination campaigns must consider and value the cultural beliefs of closed religious communities to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Stein
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6326, USA.
| | - Corey J Colyer
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6326, USA
| | - Katie E Corcoran
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6326, USA
| | - Annette M Mackay
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6326, USA
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20
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Viskupič F, Wiltse DL. Attitudes toward annual COVID-19 boosters are highly structured by partisan self-identification and trust in government: Evidence from a longitudinal survey. Vaccine X 2023; 14:100337. [PMID: 37388416 PMCID: PMC10290170 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2023.100337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives On January 26, 2023, an advisory panel of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a plan for annual vaccination for COVID-19. Given slowing booster uptake in the US, full participation of the public is in doubt. Using data from a longitudinal survey, we investigated the predictors of attitudes toward receiving a COVID-19 booster dose annually. Study design In February 2023, we completed a panel study of 243 adults from South Dakota who indicated being at least fully vaccinated in a survey conducted in May 2022. Methods In addition to attitudes on an annual booster, we measured partisan self-identification, trust in government, interpersonal trust, COVID-19 vaccination status, age, gender, education, and income. We examined the effect of changes in COVID-19 vaccination status, and the two trust variables on the willingness to receive a COVID-19 booster dose annually. Results Logistic regression analysis results showed statistically significant relationships between partisan self-identification, changes in trust in government and COVID-19 vaccination status, age, and the willingness to receive a COVID-19 booster dose annually. Conclusions The findings underscore the continued relevance of partisan self-identification and trust in government on attitudes toward COVID-19 mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Viskupič
- School of American and Global Studies, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
| | - David L. Wiltse
- School of American and Global Studies, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
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21
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Morgan J, Wagoner JA, Pyszczynski T. Psychosocial Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and the Mediating Role of Various Attitudes towards Science. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1310. [PMID: 37631878 PMCID: PMC10459256 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11081310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the way attitudes towards science in the U.S. mediate the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and psychosocial predictors, such as political ideology, religiosity, reactance proneness, dogmatism, perceived communal ostracism, education, and socioeconomic status. We analyzed the structure of people's attitudes towards science, revealing four distinct factors: epistemic confidence, belief that science and technology are beneficial, trust in science in general, and trust in medical science. With all four factors included as mediators in a saturated path analysis, low levels of trust in medical science and low epistemic confidence fully mediated the relationships between nearly all of the psychosocial predictors and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Political conservativism's negative association with vaccine hesitancy was partially mediated by the same two facets of people's attitudes towards science. Adding nuance to existing research, we found that trust in science in general was not a significant mediator once all four facets were included in the model. These findings are discussed with a focus on their implications for understanding attitudes towards science and their substantial and complex role in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Morgan
- Psychology Department, University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO 80919, USA (T.P.)
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22
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Powell N, Taylor B, Hotton A, Lamuda P, Flanagan E, Pyra M, Brewer R, Johnson O, Pollack HA, Schneider JA. The Relationship between Substance Use Stigma and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1194. [PMID: 37515010 PMCID: PMC10383134 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Two parallel public health epidemics affecting the United States include the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in substance use disorders (SUDs). Limited research has examined the potential relationship between these two epidemics. Our objective was therefore to perform an exploratory study in order to examine the association between public stigma toward people with a past history of opioid, methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol use disorder and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. A national sample of U.S. adults (N = 6515) completed a survey which assessed the degree of negative perceptions toward individuals with a past history of substance use disorders (referred to as substance use stigma) and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, along with variables such as racial prejudice, source of health news, and other demographics. We evaluated four multivariable logistic regression models to predict COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, utilizing substance use stigma toward opioids, methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol use as independent variables. We found that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was positively associated with substance use stigma toward opioid (AOR = 1.34, p < 0.05), methamphetamine (AOR = 1.40, p < 0.01), and cocaine (AOR = 1.28, p < 0.05) use, but not alcohol use (AOR = 1.06, n.s.). Predictive models that incorporate substance use stigma may therefore improve our ability to identify individuals that may benefit from vaccine hesitancy interventions. Future research to understand the underlying reasons behind the association between substance use stigma and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may help us to construct combined interventions which address belief systems that promote both substance use stigma and vaccine hesitancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Powell
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Bruce Taylor
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Anna Hotton
- Departments of Medicine and Public Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Phoebe Lamuda
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Maria Pyra
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Russell Brewer
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - O'Dell Johnson
- Southern Public Health and Criminal Justice Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Harold A Pollack
- Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - John A Schneider
- Departments of Medicine and Public Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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CUMMINGS PE, LAKOH S, YENDEWA SA, MASSAQUOI SAMUELP, JAMES PB, SAHR F, DEEN GF, GEVAO P, YENDEWA GA. Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy Among People With HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-sectional Study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.11.23289882. [PMID: 37292603 PMCID: PMC10246027 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.11.23289882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Objectives People living with HIV (PWH) are at increased risk of COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality, yet less is known about COVID-19 vaccination uptake and hesitancy, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy among PWH in Sierra Leone. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in a convenience sample of PWH in routine care at Connaught Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone from April through June 2022. We collected sociodemographic and health-related data. We used the VAX Scale, a validated instrument to assess attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. From the responses, we constructed hesitancy (VAX) scores, with higher scores implying negative attitudes towards vaccination. We used generalized linear models to identify factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Results A total of 490 PWH were enrolled (71.4% female, median age 38 years, median CD4 count 412 cells/mm3, 83.9% virologically suppressed). About 17.3% had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The mean VAX score was 43.14 ± 7.05, corresponding to 59.9% participants classified as vaccine hesitant. Preference for natural immunity (65.8%) and concerns about commercial profiteering (64.4%) were the commonest reasons for hesitancy, followed by mistrust of vaccine benefits (61.4%) and worries about future side effects (48.0%). In adjusted regression analysis, being Muslim (β = 2.563, p < 0.001) and residence in urban areas (β = 1.709, p = 0.010) were associated with greater vaccine hesitancy, while having tested ever for COVID-19 was associated with lesser vaccine hesitancy (β = -3.417, p = 0.027). Conclusion We observed a low COVID-19 vaccine uptake and high hesitancy among PWH in Sierra Leone. Our findings underscore the need to address vaccine hesitancy as a critical element of efforts to boost COVID-19 vaccine uptake among this population in Sierra Leone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peterlyn E. CUMMINGS
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Sulaiman LAKOH
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | | | - Peter B. JAMES
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia
| | - Foday SAHR
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Gibrilla F. DEEN
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Connaught Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Pelema GEVAO
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, Department of Defense, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - George A. YENDEWA
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Viskupič F, Wiltse DL. Political Partisanship and Trust in Government Predict Popular Support for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Various Professions and Demographic Groups: A Research Note. AMERICAN POLITICS RESEARCH 2023; 51:139-146. [PMID: 38603210 PMCID: PMC9364069 DOI: 10.1177/1532673x221118888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Due to the slow rate of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, governments are considering mandating COVID-19 vaccination for specific professions and demographic groups. This study evaluates popular attitudes toward such policies. We fielded a survey of 535 registered voters in South Dakota to examine popular attitudes towards vaccine mandates for five groups-children 12 and older, K-12 teachers, medical staff, nursing homes staff, and police personnel. We estimated a series of logistic regression models and presented predicted probabilities to find the primary determinants of these attitudes. Results revealed that political partisanship and trust in government are strong predictors of support for vaccine mandates across all models. Should government and public health officials wish to increase the proportion of people vaccinated for COVID-19, they must recognize the limitations of current public health campaigns, and reshape their efforts in congruence with scientific findings.
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Bartkowski JP, Klee K, Hill TD, Garcia-Alexander G, Ellison CG, Burdette AM. Fear God, Not COVID-19: Is Conservative Protestantism Associated with Risky Pandemic Lifestyles? Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11040582. [PMID: 36833117 PMCID: PMC9957345 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11040582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has established attitudinal and behavioral health variations in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, but scholarship on the religious antecedents associated with these outcomes has only recently gained momentum. Rhetoric from some leading conservative Protestants in the U.S. has underplayed the threat of the pandemic and may have contributed to unhealthy pandemic behaviors within this faith tradition. Moreover, previous inquiries have revealed that conservative Protestantism's otherworldly focus can thwart personal and community health. We use nationally representative data to test the hypotheses that, compared with other religious groups and the non-religious, conservative Protestants will tend to (1) perceive the pandemic as less threatening and (2) engage in riskier pandemic lifestyles. These hypotheses are generally supported net of confounding factors. We conclude that affiliation with a conservative Protestant denomination can undermine public health among this faith tradition's adherents and may therefore compromise general health and well-being during a pandemic. We discuss the implications of these findings, offer recommendations for pandemic health promotion among conservative Protestants, and delineate promising avenues for future research on this important topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P. Bartkowski
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Katherine Klee
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Terrence D. Hill
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Ginny Garcia-Alexander
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Christopher G. Ellison
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Amy M. Burdette
- Department of Sociology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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26
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Majee W, Anakwe A, Onyeaka K, Harvey IS. The Past Is so Present: Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among African American Adults Using Qualitative Data. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:462-474. [PMID: 35182372 PMCID: PMC8857529 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01236-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately affected by structural and social determinants of health, resulting in greater risks of exposure to and deaths from COVID-19. Structural and social determinants of health feed vaccine hesitancy and worsen health disparities. OBJECTIVE The present study aims to explore vaccine attitudes and intentions among program participants, understand the role of an African American faith-based wellness program in COVID-19 awareness and vaccine uptake, and solicit potential solutions for this deep-rooted public health problem. METHODS Data were collected through 21 in-depth interviews among individuals involved within a community-based wellness program. Sixteen phone and five in-person interviews were conducted with church leaders, lifestyle coaches, and program participants. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and inductively and thematically analyzed by three researchers. FINDINGS Live Well by Faith (LWBF) acted as a trusted information source for COVID-19 resources for the AA community. Services provided by Live Well by Faith included enrolling community members for vaccines, negotiating vaccine provision to and facilitating the establishment of vaccine clinics at AA churches, and connecting community members to healthcare providers. Despite the role Live Well by Faith played, VH was a significant concern due, in part, to historical mistrust of government and pharmaceutical companies conducting unethical healthcare research among Black populations. Other factors included uncertainty about vaccination (vaccines' safety, efficacy, and necessity), social media misinformation, and political affiliation. Participants expressed the need for government to commit resources towards addressing historical factors and building trust with minority populations. CONCLUSION Resource targeting programs such as Live Well by Faith that engage faith and community leaders in co-designed shared and culturally grounded interventions can help restore and strengthen trust in vaccines and governments and reduce vaccine hesitancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilson Majee
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA ,Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Community & Health Science, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Adaobi Anakwe
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA
| | - Kelechi Onyeaka
- Masters of Public Health Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA
| | - Idethia S. Harvey
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA
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27
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Capurro G, Tustin J, Jardine CG, Driedger SM. When good messages go wrong: Perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine communication from generally vaccine accepting individuals in Canada. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2145822. [PMID: 36452995 PMCID: PMC9762838 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2145822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are one of the most important and successful public health interventions to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. However, unlike childhood diseases and routine vaccines, COVID-19 is a novel threat, and COVID-19 vaccines may elicit specific anxieties. Through focus groups, we examine the concerns and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine expressed by individuals who accept routine vaccinations in Canada. We also conducted a pre-focus group survey to document participant attitudes towards vaccines in general. While most participants had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or had the intention to get it, many had concerns. First, participants felt anxious about the quick development and approval of the vaccines, even if they recognized that the vaccines have undergone clinical trials. Second, participants felt confused about shifting public health guidelines regarding vaccine safety, changing the interval between doses, and mixing different vaccine brands. Finally, participants said they felt abandoned when deciding whether to get vaccinated or not. People who generally accept vaccines expressed concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, mostly related to the inevitable uncertainties of a new vaccine (i.e. novelty, safety, mandates, etc.). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, understood as concerns about the novelty of a vaccine and the rapid implementation of it, could be useful for understanding questioning attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines from people who accept routine vaccinations. Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy can also provide valuable insights as booster doses are periodically needed and people may not be as accepting of these additional doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Capurro
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jordan Tustin
- School of Occupational and Public Health, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cindy G. Jardine
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, Canada
| | - S. Michelle Driedger
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada,CONTACT S. Michelle Driedger Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, S113-750 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0W3, Canada
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28
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Della Polla G, Miraglia del Giudice G, Napoli A, Folcarelli L, Angelillo IF. COVID-19 Vaccination among a Population Experiencing Homelessness: A Survey in Italy. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122118. [PMID: 36560528 PMCID: PMC9785287 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The purposes of this cross-sectional study were to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about COVID-19 and its vaccination among 313 individuals experiencing homelessness in Italy and to identify the associated factors. A total of 20.5% identified the virus as a causative agent for COVID-19 and 44.2% identified how the SARS-CoV-2 infection wastransmitted. Those living in homeless shelters were more likely to have this knowledge. Concerns about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine werehigher in those who were younger, with secondary school as the highest level of education, who practiced Christianity, and who did not believe that COVID-19 was a severe disease. A total of 83.9% received the vaccination. Those who were older, who had correct knowledge, whoperceived to be at a higher risk of getting the disease, and who had a lower concern about the vaccine side effects were more likely to have received the vaccination. The primary reasons for accepting the COVID-19 vaccine were that it wasa preventive measure and that it wasmandatory; those unvaccinated indicated, as the main reasons, a fear of side effects and that it wasnot useful. A relationship and communication between healthcare professionals and this hard-to-reach population are needed, with the implementation of educational and information programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Della Polla
- Department of Public Health and Laboratory Services, Teaching Hospital of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Grazia Miraglia del Giudice
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Annalisa Napoli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Lucio Folcarelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Italo Francesco Angelillo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-566-7717
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29
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van Stekelenburg BCA, De Cauwer H, Barten DG, Mortelmans LJ. Attacks on Health Care Workers in Historical Pandemics and COVID-19. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2022; 17:e309. [PMID: 36474406 PMCID: PMC9947042 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2022.275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Previous pandemics have been (mis)used for (geo)political reasons, for terrorism purposes, and in times of conflict. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been no exception with populist politicians challenging the relations with China, calling it the "Chinese virus," certain state actors setting up cyberterrorist actions against health care organizations in the United States and Europe, and a reported increase of violent acts against health care workers.Aside from state-driven factors, both left- and right-wing activists and anti-vaccination activists adhering to conspiracy theories are a threat for health care organizations. Furthermore, socioeconomic, religious, and cultural factors play a role in why health care is a possible target of violence. Fear of viral pathogens, fury about financial losses due to the pandemic and governmental measures such as lockdowns, anger because of mandatory quarantines, and the disruption of burial rituals are among the reasons for people to revolt against health care providers.Here, we provide a narrative review of the impact of violence against health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier pandemics, and suggest preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Harald De Cauwer
- Department of Neurology, St. Dimpna Regional Hospital, Geel, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Corresponding author: Harald De Cauwer,
| | - Dennis G. Barten
- Department of Emergency Medicine, VieCuri Medical Center, Venlo, the Netherlands
| | - Luc J. Mortelmans
- ZNA, Camp Stuivenberg, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Research and Education in Emergency Care, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine (ReGEDiM), VUB, Brussels, Belgium
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30
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Sáenz RH. An Interpretive Approach to Religious Ambiguities around Medical Innovations: The Spanish Catholic Church on Organ Donation and Transplantation (1954-2014). QUALITATIVE SOCIOLOGY 2022; 46:77-108. [PMID: 36530796 PMCID: PMC9734823 DOI: 10.1007/s11133-022-09525-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
How do institutionalized religions solve moral ambiguities around controversial medical innovations and public health issues? Most religions have moral guidelines about what can and cannot be done to people's bodies, but these guidelines are not always straightforward and, when faced with certain scientific advances, can come into contradiction with other doctrinal principles. I address this theoretical puzzle through the empirical case of the Spanish Catholic Church's discourse on organ donation and transplantation during the second half of the twentieth century. Drawing on an interpretive analysis of official statements by the Spanish Catholic Church, and of the media coverage of the religious debate over organ donation and transplantation in Spain from 1954 onwards, I show that the first experiments in organ transplantation faced the Church with a contradiction between its altruistic teachings and its beliefs in the sacredness of human life. Faced with an interpretive dilemma, the Church produced a context-specific version of its official doctrine friendly to organ donation and transplantation. It did so by activating its altruistic elements and suppressing sacralized meanings of the body, thus aligning organ donation with Catholic values of generosity and fraternal love. My study theorizes this moral alignment as a semantic overlap realized through historically situated institutional discourse. Additionally, it incorporates 24 primary and secondary sources on comparative cases to propose three facilitating factors that enabled and encouraged the Spanish Catholic Church to embrace a controversial medical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Herrero Sáenz
- Molloy University, 312 Kellenberg Hall 1000 Hempstead Avenue, NY 11570 Rockville Centre, USA
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31
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"They're trying to bribe you and taking away your freedoms": COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in communities with traditionally low vaccination rates. Vaccine 2022; 40:7280-7287. [PMID: 36334965 PMCID: PMC9618440 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Vaccination is an essential public health intervention to control the COVID-19 pandemic. A minority of Canadians, however, remain hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines, while others outright refuse them. We conducted focus groups to gauge perceptions and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines in people who live in a region with historically low rates of childhood vaccination. Participants discussed their perception of COVID-19 vaccines and their intention to get vaccinated, and the low rate of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Manitoba's Southern Health Region compared to other regions in Canada. We identified three drivers of vaccine hesitancy: (1) risk perceptions about COVID-19 and the vaccines developed to protect against it, (2) religious and conservative views; and (3) distrust in government and science. Participant proposed recommendations for improving communication and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines included: public health messages emphasising the benefits of vaccination; addressing the community's specific concerns and dispelling misinformation; highlighting vaccine safety; and emphasising vaccination as a desirable behaviour from a religious perspective. Understanding the specific anxieties elicited by COVID-19 vaccines in areas with low childhood immunization rates can inform risk communication strategies tailored to increase vaccination in these specific regions. This study adds important information on potential reasons for vaccine hesitancy in areas with historically low rates of childhood vaccination, and provides important lessons learned for future emergencies in terms of vaccine hesitancy drivers and effective risk communication to increase vaccine uptake.
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32
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Tolstrup Wester C, Lybecker Scheel-Hincke L, Bovil T, Andersen-Ranberg K, Juel Ahrenfeldt L, Christian Hvidt N. Prayer frequency and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among older adults in Europe. Vaccine 2022; 40:6383-6390. [PMID: 36182618 PMCID: PMC9510066 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.09.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
AIM Differences in levels of vaccine uptake have emerged across Europe, and this may partly be explained by religious beliefs. Our aim is to study the association between religiosity, measured by prayer frequency, and vaccine hesitancy, and to examine how this association varies across European countries and regions. METHODS This study was based on 42,583 adults aged 50 years and above from 27 European countries in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), waves 1-8, and the 2nd SHARE COVID-19 Survey. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations. RESULTS Participants were more likely to be vaccine-hesitant when praying 'weekly or less' (odds ratio (OR) 1.32 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.23-1.42) or daily (OR 1.78 95 % CI 1.65-1.92). Praying 'weekly or less' was associated with increased vaccine hesitancy in Southern Europe (OR 1.48 95 % CI 1.17-1.87) and Central and Eastern (OR 1.35 95 % CI 1.24-1.47) Europe, while daily praying was associated with vaccine hesitancy in Western (OR 1.77 95 % CI 1.51-2.08), Southern (OR 1.30 95 % CI 1.03-1.64), Central and Eastern (OR 1.89 95 % CI 1.73-2.06) and Northern (OR 2.75 95 % CI 1.54-4.89) Europe. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide support for an association between daily prayer frequency and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, with a consistent pattern across European regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Tolstrup Wester
- Unit for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark.
| | - Lasse Lybecker Scheel-Hincke
- Unit for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Tine Bovil
- Unit for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Karen Andersen-Ranberg
- Unit for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Geriatric Research Unit, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Linda Juel Ahrenfeldt
- Unit for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Niels Christian Hvidt
- Research Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Academy of Geriatrich Cancer Research (AgeCare), Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark
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McElfish PA, Rowland B, Hall S, CarlLee S, Reece S, Macechko MD, Shah SK, Rojo MO, Riklon S, Richard-Davis G, Marin LP, Laelan M, Maddison BK, Alik E, Selig JP. Comparing community-driven COVID-19 vaccine distribution methods: Faith-based organizations vs. outpatient clinics. J Family Med Prim Care 2022; 11:6081-6086. [PMID: 36618221 PMCID: PMC9810872 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_327_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Minority and low socioeconomic communities may face practical barriers to vaccination, including decreased access to health care and less trust in healthcare organizations; however, few studies have focused on these barriers as the cause of differential vaccine uptake. We worked with community partners to implement and evaluate two community-driven approaches to COVID-19 vaccination distribution-through faith-based organizations (FBOs) and outpatient clinics-with a focus on understanding the differences between the populations who accessed each distribution method. Methodology Participants who came to the vaccination locations were approached and asked to complete a survey during their 15 min post-vaccination observation period. Differences between distribution locations were examined using Chi-square tests. Results The survey rendered 1,476 valid responses, with a total of 927 participants recruited at clinical locations and 519 at FBOs during vaccination events. There were significant differences by race/ethnicity, with distribution methods at FBOs reaching a higher proportion of Hispanic/Latino and Marshallese participants. The proportion of uninsured participants who had lower health literacy and had lower educational attainment was higher with the FBO distribution method. FBO participants were more likely to report "completely" trusting the COVID-19 vaccine. There was no significant difference between FBO and clinic participants with regard to the level of vaccine hesitancy. There were no statistically significant differences with regard to access. Conclusion A higher proportion of Hispanic/Latino and Marshallese participants utilized FBOs for vaccination, suggesting collaborations with FBOs can potentially increase vaccination uptake among minority communities and help mitigate vaccination disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pearl A. McElfish
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Brett Rowland
- Office of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Spencer Hall
- Office of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Sheena CarlLee
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Sharon Reece
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Michael D. Macechko
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Sumit K. Shah
- Office of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Martha O. Rojo
- College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Sheldon Riklon
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Gloria Richard-Davis
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Luis Paganelli Marin
- Office of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Melisa Laelan
- Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese, Springdale, Arkansas, USA
| | | | - Eldon Alik
- Republic of the Marshall Islands Consulate, Springdale, Arkansas, USA
| | - James P. Selig
- Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas
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Guidry JPD, Miller CA, Perrin PB, Laestadius LI, Zurlo G, Savage MW, Stevens M, Fuemmeler BF, Burton CW, Gültzow T, Carlyle KE. Between Healthcare Practitioners and Clergy: Evangelicals and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191711120. [PMID: 36078836 PMCID: PMC9518019 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Evangelical Christians are among the most hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This study examined the extent to which COVID-19 vaccination uptake among Evangelicals is explained by demographic characteristics, Health Belief Model constructs, and faith-based support factors. Survey research firm Qualtrics recruited 531 U.S. adults and conducted a survey to explore predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people who self-identified as Evangelicals in September 2021. A logistic regression showed that those reporting high perceived benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to be vaccinated, while those reporting high perceived barriers were less likely to be vaccinated. Those whose healthcare provider asked them about the vaccine were more likely to be vaccinated than those whose healthcare provider did not ask. Finally, while those who reported information seeking from religious leaders were less likely to be vaccinated, those who reported more faith-based support for vaccination were more likely to be vaccinated. In addition to beliefs about benefits and barriers to vaccination, the role of healthcare providers and clergy were important factors influencing vaccination status. Intervention efforts that capitalize on partnerships between health providers and clergy in supportive congregations may be able to reach undecided Evangelicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine P. D. Guidry
- Media + Health Lab, Robertson School of Media and Culture, Virginia Commonwealth University, 901 W. Main Street, Suite 2216, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Carrie A. Miller
- Department of Public Relations, STEM Translational Communication Center, College of Journalism and Communications, UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Paul B. Perrin
- School of Data Science, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Linnea I. Laestadius
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53205, USA
| | - Gina Zurlo
- Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA 01982, USA
| | - Matthew W. Savage
- School of Communication, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Michael Stevens
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Bernard F. Fuemmeler
- Massey Cancer Center, Department of Health Behavior and Policy, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
| | - Candace W. Burton
- Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Thomas Gültzow
- Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kellie E. Carlyle
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
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Hill TD, Garcia-Alexander G, Davis AP, Bjorklund ET, Vila-Henninger LA, Cockerham WC. Political ideology and pandemic lifestyles: the indirect effects of empathy, authoritarianism, and threat. DISCOVER SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH 2022; 2:14. [PMID: 36033356 PMCID: PMC9400002 DOI: 10.1007/s44155-022-00014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background In this paper, we integrate theory and research from sociology, psychology, and political science to develop and test a mediation model that helps to explain why political conservatism is often associated with pandemic behaviors and lifestyles that are inconsistent with public health recommendations for COVID-19. Methods Using national data from the 2021 Crime, Health, and Politics Survey (n = 1743), we formally test the indirect effects of political conservatism (an index of Republican party identification, conservative political orientation, right-wing news media consumption, and 2020 Trump vote) on pandemic lifestyles (an index of social distancing, hand sanitizing, mask usage, and vaccination) through the mechanisms of empathy (concern about the welfare of others), authoritarian beliefs (authoritarian aggressiveness and acquiescence to authority), and pandemic threat perceptions (threats to self and to the broader society). Result Our results confirm that political conservatism is associated with riskier pandemic lifestyles. We also find that this association is partially mediated by lower levels of empathy, higher levels of authoritarian beliefs, and lower levels of perceived pandemic threat. Conclusions Understanding why political conservatism is associated with riskier pandemic lifestyles may eventually lead us to ways of identifying and overcoming widespread cultural barriers to critical pandemic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terrence D. Hill
- Department of Sociology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249 USA
| | - Ginny Garcia-Alexander
- Department of Sociology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249 USA
| | - Andrew P. Davis
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA
| | - Eric T. Bjorklund
- School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA
| | | | - William C. Cockerham
- Departments of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham and College of William & Mary, Birmingham, AL USA
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de Munter AC, Hautvast JL, Ruijs WL, Henri Spaan D, Hulscher ME, Ruiter RA. Deciding about maternal pertussis vaccination: associations between intention, and needs and values in a vaccine-hesitant religious group. Vaccine 2022; 40:5213-5222. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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DiGregorio BD, Corcoran KE, Scheitle CP. 'God will protect us': Belief in God/Higher Power's ability to intervene and COVID-19 vaccine uptake. REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS RESEARCH 2022; 64:475-495. [PMID: 35702507 PMCID: PMC9183751 DOI: 10.1007/s13644-022-00495-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccines represent one of the best ways to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. However, vaccine hesitancy among the population limits the effectiveness of vaccines. Recent research has explored the role of religion in vaccine hesitancy, but in doing so has encountered a "black box" problem. There is a relationship between religion and vaccine hesitancy, but the explanation for why remains unclear. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between religion and vaccine hesitancy. We propose that how an individual conceptualizes God/a higher power is associated with getting vaccinated for COVID-19. METHODS We use data from a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, collected using the Amerispeak® probability-based panel via the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. We examine the association between individuals' views of God/a higher power as both a supervisory and an intervening figure on vaccine uptake and likelihood of getting vaccinated through logistic regressions. RESULTS We find that belief in God's/a higher power's supervision is not significantly associated with the odds of COVID-19 vaccine uptake or vaccination intent. However, belief in God's/a higher power's ability to intervene in the world is significantly and negatively associated with the odds of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and the odds of having received or planning to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, in models where belief in the ability of God/a higher power to intervene are included, Christian nationalism ceases to have a statistically significant association with intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These findings suggest that how individuals conceptualize God/a higher power is associated with their willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Given this, those who see God/a higher power as more involved in the world may contribute to delays in achieving herd immunity. This information benefits those working on vaccination campaigns in understanding the beliefs of some of those who are most hesitant to get vaccinated. In addition, this intervention mechanism could also mediate other negative relationships between religion and other science and health-related concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard D. DiGregorio
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, 26506-6326 Morgantown, WV United States
| | - Katie E. Corcoran
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, 26506-6326 Morgantown, WV United States
| | - Christopher P. Scheitle
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6326, 26506-6326 Morgantown, WV United States
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Demonic and Divine Attributions around COVID-19 Vaccines: Links with Vaccine Attitudes and Behaviors, QAnon and Conspiracy Beliefs, Anger, Spiritual Struggles, Religious and Political Variables, and Supernatural and Apocalyptic Beliefs. RELIGIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rel13060519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Given the prevalence of supernatural beliefs in the United States, some people may believe that God or the devil influenced people to create or receive COVID-19 vaccines. In an Internet sample of 3196 U.S. adults (with many preregistered hypotheses), divine vaccine attributions were more common than demonic attributions. Demonic vaccine attributions were linked with more anti-vaccination attitudes and lower odds of vaccination, whereas divine attributions showed the opposite pattern. Demonic (but not divine) attributions showed consistent positive connections with conspiracy beliefs (including QAnon), anger toward people and organizations seen as pro-vaccine, and seeing one’s political opponents as enemies and as evil. Demonic attributions were also linked with more anxiety, depression, and spiritual struggle, and lower agreeableness and social desirability. Both demonic and divine attributions related positively to political conservatism, religious fundamentalism, Christian nationalism, authoritarian aggression, and traditional masculinity beliefs. Demonic (but not divine) attributions were also associated with being younger and having less education. Both demonic and divine vaccine attributions correlated positively with religiousness, belief in God and the devil, and seeing these entities as powerful, able to work through natural events, and intervening often in the world. Demonic and divine attributions also related positively to belief in heaven and hell, seeing many people as destined for hell, seeing life as a cosmic battle between good and evil, and apocalyptic or “end times” beliefs.
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Sociopolitical and psychological correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the United States during summer 2021. Soc Sci Med 2022; 306:115112. [PMID: 35700550 PMCID: PMC9167731 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy and refusal continue to hamper COVID-19 control efforts. Throughout the pandemic, scientists and journalists have attributed lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates to a shifting set of factors including demography, experiences during the height of the pandemic, political views, and beliefs in conspiracy theories and misinformation, among others. However, these factors have rarely been tested comprehensively, in tandem, or alongside other potentially underlying psychological factors, thus limiting our understanding of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. This cross-sectional study assesses a diverse set of correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy identified in previous studies using US survey data (N = 2055) collected in July–August 2021. The survey contained modules designed to assess various sociopolitical domains and anti- and pro-social personality characteristics hypothesized to shape vaccine hesitancy. Using logistic and multinomial regression, we found that the strongest correlate of vaccine hesitancy was belief in misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, though we surmise that this common explanation may be endogenous to vaccine hesitancy. Political beliefs explained more variation in vaccine hesitancy—and in particular, vaccine refusal—after belief in COVID-19 vaccine misinformation was excluded from the analysis. Our findings help reconcile numerous disparate findings across the literature with implications for health education and future research.
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40
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Trepanowski R, Drążkowski D. Cross-National Comparison of Religion as a Predictor of COVID-19 Vaccination Rates. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2022; 61:2198-2211. [PMID: 35556198 PMCID: PMC9095816 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-022-01569-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effects of religiosity on COVID-19 vaccination rates using a cross-national comparison while controlling for socio-economic factors and culture. Our analysis, conducted on data from 90 countries representing 86% of the world population, showed that Christianity was negatively related to vaccination, while there was no relation with Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and nonbelief. The importance of religion, freedom of expression and belief, sex ratio, median age, and almost all cultural factors were not related to vaccination, whereas Human Development Index was. The influence of different religions on vaccination rates has also been described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radosław Trepanowski
- Faculty of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, 89 Szamarzewskiego Street, PL-60-568, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Dariusz Drążkowski
- Faculty of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, 89 Szamarzewskiego Street, PL-60-568, Poznan, Poland
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Carson B, Isaacs J, Carilli T. Jabbing together? The complementarity between social capital, formal public health rules, and COVID-19 vaccine rates in the United States. Vaccine 2022; 40:3781-3787. [PMID: 35610104 PMCID: PMC9117159 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 vaccine rates provide a unique opportunity to explore vaccine hesitancy and potential interactions between social capital and individual, normative values, namely for public health and/or personal freedom. While economists and public health scholars realize the independent effects social capital and stringent public health rules have on prevalence and mortality rates, few recognize how these factors influence vaccination rates. We advance this literature with a novel framework to analyze these interactions. With county-level data on COVID-19 vaccinations, social capital, and measures of the values people have for personal freedom and public health, we find that vaccination rates depend on individual values, the level of social capital, and the interaction between the two. Social capital mediates the values people hold dear, which can influence vaccination rates in positive and negative ways. Our results are robust to the inclusion of relevant controls and under multiple specifications. These results suggest that individuals and the communities people enter into and exit out of play an important role in decisions to vaccinate, which are independent of formal, governmental public health measures.
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Hatala A, Pervaiz MC, Handley R, Vijayan T. Faith based dialogue can tackle vaccine hesitancy and build trust. BMJ 2022; 376:o823. [PMID: 35346957 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.o823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hatala
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba
| | | | | | - Tara Vijayan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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Patzina A, Dietrich H. The social gradient in COVID-19 vaccination intentions and the role of solidarity beliefs among adolescents. SSM Popul Health 2022; 17:101054. [PMID: 35229013 PMCID: PMC8865935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccines against COVID-19 play a prominent role in the policies enacted to combat the pandemic. However, vaccination rates are lowest among adolescents and young adults. Therefore, research on younger individuals is needed to provide a deeper understanding of social disparities and the motives behind vaccination intentions. METHODS This study draws on a sample (N = 4079) of German high school students and graduates. Based on cross-sectional data from March to July 2021 and linear regression models, which are conditioned on personality, risk preferences, and trust, the study analyses social disparities (i.e., gender, parental education and migration background) in vaccination intentions. RESULTS We do not find heterogeneity by gender. Individuals with low-educated parents and a migration background indicate below-average levels of vaccination intention. Differences in solidarity beliefs entirely explain the heterogeneity between individuals with low-educated parents and those with high-educated parents. While differences in beliefs explain a substantial part of the heterogeneity in vaccination intentions, cultural and monetary resources also constitute an important source of difference in vaccination intentions between individuals with and without a migration background. These results are important because our data indicate higher infection risks among individuals with a migration and low education background. Additionally, individuals from lower social origins and with migration backgrounds report higher levels of perceived burdens associated with COVID-19-related policies. The migration results differ between first- and second-generation migrants and by region of origin. CONCLUSION Polarization in solidarity explains social gradients in vaccination intention. A solidarity narrative may not motivate a significant share of young individuals to be vaccinated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hans Dietrich
- Institute for Employment Research, Germany (IAB), Germany
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Abstract
AbstractThis study defines key issues for sustainable healthcare policy in COVID-19 period. For this purpose, 9 different criteria that affect vaccine hesitancy are selected with the help of a detailed literature evaluation. A novel hybrid fuzzy decision-making model is developed using DEMATEL and TOPSIS based on q-Rung orthopair fuzzy sets. A comparative evaluation has also been performed using IF DEMATEL and PF DEMATEL. The results of all different methods are almost the same that indicates the reliability and coherency of the proposed model. The findings demonstrate that religion is the most critical factor that causes vaccine hesitancy. It is also defined that active population in daily life is the most important alternative. Developing countries should mainly focus on the actions regarding the religious issues to have sustainable healthcare policies in COVID-19 period. In this context, religious leaders can be released to the media and give information that the vaccine is not against religious rules. This has a significant contribution to convince people who are against the vaccine. Furthermore, these countries should also give priorities to the active population in daily life. Because this group supports the workforce in the country very seriously, it can be possible to increase the workforce in the country by completing the vaccination of this group that helps to boost economic development.
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Kessler SE, Aunger R. The evolution of the human healthcare system and implications for understanding our responses to COVID-19. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 10:87-107. [PMID: 35284079 PMCID: PMC8908543 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoac004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed an urgent need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary understanding of how healthcare systems respond successfully to infectious pathogens-and how they fail. This study contributes a novel perspective that focuses on the selective pressures that shape healthcare systems over evolutionary time. We use a comparative approach to trace the evolution of care-giving and disease control behaviours across species and then map their integration into the contemporary human healthcare system. Self-care and pro-health environmental modification are ubiquitous across animals, while derived behaviours like care for kin, for strangers, and group-level organizational responses have evolved via different selection pressures. We then apply this framework to our behavioural responses to COVID-19 and demonstrate that three types of conflicts are occurring: (1) conflicting selection pressures on individuals, (2) evolutionary mismatches between the context in which our healthcare behaviours evolved and our globalized world of today and (3) evolutionary displacements in which older forms of care are currently dispensed through more derived forms. We discuss the significance of understanding how healthcare systems evolve and change for thinking about the role of healthcare systems in society during and after the time of COVID-19-and for us as a species as we continue to face selection from infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Kessler
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Robert Aunger
- Environmental Health Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Lee Rogers R, Powe N. COVID-19 Information Sources and Misinformation by Faith Community. INQUIRY: THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION, PROVISION, AND FINANCING 2022; 59:469580221081388. [PMID: 35634989 PMCID: PMC9152626 DOI: 10.1177/00469580221081388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Faith communities support a variety of public health initiatives as conduits of information and service distribution points. However, with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), there is concern that religious communities may be echo chambers for misinformation and conspiracy theories that are undercutting the adoption of precautions to prevent transmission and the use of COVID-19 vaccines. The purpose of this study is to identify the receptivity to and spread of misinformation about COVID-19 by faith communities and whether embracing these inaccuracies constitutes a uniquely religious effect. This study conducted three small analyses approach. First, we engaged in the automated text mining of approximately 2.3 million discussion posts from discussion forums noted for their conspiracism and extremism. Next, secondary quantitative analysis of two recent surveys from the American Trends Panels by Pew Research conducted in April 2020 (N = 9482) and February 2021 (N = 9429) were conducted to determine whether sources of information and preventive behaviors related to the pandemic were associated with uniquely religious effects or possibly mediated by other factors such as sociodemographic characteristics or political views. The association of White evangelicals with politicized misinformation was consistent across all three small studies. Prior to the availability of vaccines, religious themes consistently appeared in 15–19% of COVID-19 social media posts and were higher in subsets of the discourse tied to misinformation. The framing of COVID-19 using religious language was associated with the Christian right in about half of the religiously-themed posts. Religious themes fell below the 15% threshold once the vaccine was available. In the survey research, small, uniquely religious effects were found with White evangelical receptivity of COVID-19 information from Donald Trump and less reliance on information from public health experts, and small, uniquely religious associations were found with preventive measures. Among White nonevangelical Protestants and non-Hispanic Roman Catholics, there was found the same combination of a higher likelihood of reliance on messages from the Donald Trump Presidency and a lower likelihood for news-media use. Black Protestants showed a higher level of use and trust in state and local government officials. The study confirmed higher use of social media among non-Hispanic Roman Catholics but did not find this relationship among Hispanic Protestants. Faith communities are not always receptive to public health messages that promote the public good. This study indicates that the religion effects can appear early, giving time for health education specialists to address them, and that these effects can diminish once preventive measures are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lee Rogers
- Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH, USA
- Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Liver Transplant Recipients. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111314. [PMID: 34835245 PMCID: PMC8619490 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy is a threat for fragile patients. We aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and its reasons in a population of liver transplant (LT) recipients. (2) Methods: In February 2021, a questionnaire on COVID-19 vaccines was sent to LT patients followed at our liver transplant outpatient clinic in Milan, Italy. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Patients were defined as willing, hesitant, or refusing and their reasons were investigated. Associations between baseline characteristics and willingness were evaluated. Since March 2021, when the COVID-19 vaccines became available for LT candidates and recipients in Italy, the entire cohort of LT recipients was contacted by phone and called for vaccination, and the rate of refusals recorded. (3) Results: The web-based survey was sent to 583 patients, of whom 190 responded (response rate of 32.6%). Among the respondents to the specific question about hesitancy (184), 157 (85.3%) were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while 27 (14.7%) were hesitant. Among the hesitant, three were totally refusing, for a refusal rate of 1.6%. Thirteen hesitant patients (48.1%) answered that their COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy was influenced by being a transplant recipient. The fear of adverse effects was the main reason for refusal (81.5%). Of the 711 LT patients followed at our center, 668 got fully vaccinated, while 43 (6.1%) of them refused the scheduled vaccination. (4) Conclusions: Most patients accepted COVID-19 vaccines, although 6.1% refused the vaccine. Since it is crucial to achieve adequate vaccination of LT patients, it is very important to identify the reasons influencing COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy so that appropriate and targeted communication strategies can be established and specific vaccination campaigns further implemented.
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