Applying the theory of planned behavior to predict COVID-19 booster vaccination intentions of college students

Factors associated with the COVID-19 booster vaccine intentions of young adults in the United States

Young adults experience high coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence yet have the lowest vaccination and booster rates among adults. Understanding the factors influencing their intentions regarding boosters is essential for crafting effective public health strategies. We examined the psychosocial factors (attitudes, norms, perceived behavioral control) associated with their intentions to receive a COVID-19 booster. This cross-sectional study included 292 young adults aged 18-25 residing in Philadelphia who completed an online survey from September 2021 and February 2022 (mean age 21.98, standard deviation 2.25; 51% racial/ethnic minorities). The survey included measures of attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control related to COVID-19 vaccination. We employed structural equation modeling analysis to examine the intention of young adults to receive the COVID-19 booster and their vaccine-related attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control. Covariates included race/ethnicity and gender. Subjective norms were significantly associated with the intention to receive a COVID-19 booster (standardized β̂ = 0.685, p = .018). Attitudes and perceived behavioral control showed no significant association with intention. Subgroup analyses based on race/ethnicity revealed that attitudes (standardized β̂ = 0.488, p = .004) and subjective norms (standardized β̂ = 0.451, p = .050) were predictors among young adults from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, while only subjective norms (standardized β̂ = 1.104, p = .002) were significant for non-Hispanic White young adults. Public health efforts should prioritize engaging healthcare providers and peer groups in order to influence subjective norms and promote collective responsibility and acceptance for vaccination. Tailored interventions and diverse communication strategies targeting specific subgroups of young adults may be useful to ensure comprehensive and effective vaccination initiatives.

Understanding Parental Intentions for COVID-19 Child Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study From Jordan Using Theory of Planned Behavior

Introduction

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study addresses the factors that influence parental intentions to vaccinate their 12- to 17-year-old children against COVID-19. The study looked at how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and fear of the COVID-19 vaccine impact these intentions.

Methods

Between November and December 2021, 396 Jordanian parents completed an anonymous online survey. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used for analyzing the relationships.

Results

While 94.7% of children had received routine vaccinations, only 23.5% intended to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, indicating a vaccine acceptance gap. The analysis revealed that attitudes are the most significant positive predictor of vaccination intent, accounting for 75% of the variance. Subjective norms had a positive influence on parents' decisions, whereas fear of the COVID-19 vaccine was a significant barrier. Perceived behavioral control had a small but negative effect, indicating significant challenges to vaccination.

Conclusion

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) clarifies numerous factors that influence parents' decisions to immunize their children against COVID-19. Understanding these factors is critical for narrowing the gap between high rates of routine vaccinations and low rates of COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as developing effective strategies to increase vaccine acceptance among parents.

Testing an extended theory of planned behaviour in predicting Covid-19 vaccination intention over the course of the pandemic: A three-wave repeated cross-sectional study

Background

Mass vaccination against Covid-19 has been recognised as the most effective strategy for overcoming the pandemic emergency and remains crucial in the ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of the virus. The present study aimed to test the efficacy of an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model in predicting vaccination intention in three different phases of the pandemic. Understanding how psychological drivers of vaccine acceptance may have changed throughout the pandemic is essential for informing public health strategies and addressing vaccine hesitancy, even in the current post-pandemic context.

Methods

Using a repeated cross-sectional survey, we tested the hypothesised extended TPB model (intention, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, anticipated affective reactions, risk perception, trust in science, trust in institutions and religiosity) across three independent samples: before (T1: November-December 2020; N = 657), during (T2: March-May 2021; N = 818), and after (T3: February-March 2022; N = 605) the start of the vaccination campaign in Italy.

Results

Results indicated significant differences between the time points in all investigated variables, pointing to a general trend of improvement in vaccine acceptability levels at T2 compared to T1, and a worsening at T3 compared to the other two time points. Interestingly, net of these differences, a multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analysis supported the invariance, across time, of the structural relationships examined within the extended TPB.

Conclusion

Findings demonstrated the efficacy of the TPB in predicting Covid-19 vaccination intention at different stages of the pandemic, suggesting that the model, in its extended version, represents a valuable framework for designing interventions aimed at promoting vaccine acceptance.