Personality and individual attitudes toward vaccination: a nationally representative survey in the United States

Germany under the Tinfoil Hat? The associations of the big five personality traits and coronavirus conspiracy beliefs with the intention to get vaccinated

BACKGROUND

The governments of democracies worldwide are relying on the active cooperation of their populations to combat COVID-19. Simultaneously, beliefs in conspiracy theories surrounding the pandemic have flourished. The present article examines the effects of the big five personality traits and conspiracy beliefs on the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Germany.

METHODS

This correlational, cross-sectional mediation analysis was conducted using data from a nationwide German household panel (N = 1390).

RESULTS

Openness to experience (β = -.082, p = .004) and neuroticism (β = .112, p < .001) showed direct effects on conspiracy beliefs, while conspiracy beliefs had the strongest effect on vaccination intention (β = -.424, p < .001). Indirect positive effects of openness (β = .035, p = .005) and negative effects of neuroticism (β = -.047, p < .001) on the intention to get vaccinated via conspiracy beliefs were identified, with a mediation in the strict sense only for openness. No direct or total effect of the big five on vaccination intention could be found.

CONCLUSIONS

The big five personality traits are associated, although indirectly, with the intention to be vaccinated. Compared with similar studies on the effects of the big five on COVID-19-related outcomes, we found slightly higher proportions of explained variance in conspiracy beliefs and significantly higher explained variance in vaccination intention. In order to increase the willingness to be vaccinated, targeted and nationwide uniform information measures should be provided addressing feelings of security, of not being excluded, and the activation of critical reasoning.

Links between Vaccination Fear-, Anxiety-, Alexithymia-, and Type D Personality-Related Vaccination Decisions: A Network Analysis in a Multicultural Sample

This study examines the links between vaccination status, fear of vaccination (cognitive and somatic symptoms), anxiety, alexithymia, and type D personality (negative affect and social inhibition), to propose policies to increase vaccination rates. A sample of university students (n = 2535; mean age = 20.59, SD = 2.04; male: 26.75%, female: 73.25%) from Spain, Italy, Lebanon, Nigeria, Turkey, and Ukraine completed the Vaccination Fear Scale (VFS-6), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S), the Type D Scale (DS14), and also a question on vaccination status. Correlation, regression, and network analyses were applied. Cognitive symptoms of fear of vaccination and negative affect were the most significant in the correlation and regression analyses. In the network analysis, negative affect showed the highest values in all centrality indices and positive relationships with other nodes. Vaccination status showed negative relationships with fear of vaccination, alexithymia, and social inhibition. The network structure is similar between the sexes but varies between cultures and sexes within cultures. The relationship between vaccination status and cognitive symptoms of fear of vaccination was the most consistent, allowing for interventions at this level to be advised across cultures. For more specific interventions, cultural context must be considered for optimal results.

Measuring COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among college students with disabilities: Sociodemographic and psychological correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore characteristics of vaccine hesitancy and behaviors among college students with disabilities. Participants and Methods: Participants consisted of 105 college students with disabilities (Mage=26.82, SD = 8.42), and a majority of participants were female (69.5%) and Hispanic (85%). Results: No demographic differences were observed in vaccine hesitancy scores in this sample. Those who do not know where to get reliable information about COVID-19 vaccination had higher scores on vaccine hesitancy than those who know how to obtain reliable information; and participants who had a negative experience with a previous vaccination also had higher scores of vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, findings demonstrated COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scores were negatively associated with openness to experience personality trait and COVID-19-related perceived stress. Conclusions: Implications provide additional insight into factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among college students with disabilities.

Exploring associations between the Big Five personality traits and cognitive ability with COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and uptake among mothers and offspring in a UK prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Vaccines reduce the severity of symptoms, and risk of hospitalisation and death from infectious diseases. Yet, vaccination hesitancy persists. Research identifying psychological risk factors for vaccination hesitancy is limited and reports conflicting results. This study sought to address these inconsistencies and explore the role of personality and cognitive ability in COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and uptake in a prospective cohort study.

METHODS

Data came from young adults (Generation-1; G1) and their mothers (Generation-0; G0) in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Multinomial logistic regressions, adjusting for several sociodemographic confounders, were used to explore whether personality and cognitive ability were associated with COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and uptake. 4,960 G1 and 4,853 G0 mothers were included in the study population.

FINDINGS

Among G1, 38.4% exhibited vaccination hesitancy, yet 91.9% of the cohort received the vaccine. In adjusted models, higher levels of openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and cognitive ability were associated with an increased probability of wanting the vaccine. Similarly, higher levels of agreeableness, openness and cognitive ability were associated with an increased probability of vaccination uptake. However, the evidence of associations with vaccine uptake were generally weaker than with vaccination hesitancy. 56.7% of the offspring who did not want the vaccine either received the vaccine or intended to, whilst 43.3% still had no intention.Among G0 mothers, 25.6% were vaccination hesitant, yet 99.0% of the cohort received the vaccine. 3.1% said they did not want the vaccine; approximately 80% of these either received the vaccine or intended to. We found inconclusive evidence for an association between cognitive ability and vaccination hesitancy among G0 mothers.

INTERPRETATION

This study identified psychological factors associated with vaccination hesitancy and uptake. If these associations are causal, these findings may help design more effective vaccination hesitancy interventions.

Self- and informant-reported personality traits and vaccination against COVID-19

As COVID-19 vaccines' accessibility has grown, so has the role of personal choice in vaccination, and not everybody is willing to vaccinate. Exploring personality traits' associations with vaccination could highlight some person-level drivers of, and barriers to, vaccination. We used self- and informant-ratings of the Five-Factor Model domains and their subtraits (a) measured approximately at the time of vaccination with the 100 Nuances of Personality (100NP) item pool (N = 56,575) and (b) measured on average ten years before the pandemic with the NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3; N = 3,168). We tested individual domains' and either items' (in the 100NP sample) or facets' (in the NEO-PI-3 sample) associations with vaccination, as well as their collective ability to predict vaccination using elastic net models trained and tested in independent sample partitions. Although the NEO-PI-3 domains and facets did not predict vaccination ten years later, the domains correlated with vaccination in the 100NP sample, with vaccinated people scoring slightly higher on neuroticism and agreeableness and lower on openness, controlling for age, sex, and education. Collectively, the five domains predicted vaccination with an accuracy of r = .08. Associations were stronger at the item level. Vaccinated people were, on average, more science-minded, politically liberal, respectful of rules and authority, and anxious but less spiritual, religious, and self-assured. The 100NP items collectively predicted vaccination with r = .31 accuracy. We conclude that unvaccinated people may be a psychologically heterogeneous group and highlight some potential areas for action in vaccination campaigns.

Examining age, period and cohort effects in attitude change to childhood vaccinations in a representative New Zealand survey: a multiyear cohort-sequential growth modelling study

OBJECTIVES

Vaccinations are an important preventative measure in reducing the spread of infectious diseases worldwide. However, concerns of undervaccination during childhood have become increasingly common. The current study aims to investigate changes in attitudes towards childhood vaccinations prior to the COVID-19 pandemic using a national sample from New Zealand.

DESIGN

Age-based, period-based, and cohort-based changes were assessed using cohort-sequential latent growth modelling in 11 overlapping birth cohorts, which spanned the ages of 23-79 years.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Data were taken from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study where 58 654 adults completed at least one wave across a 7-year period (2013 and 2015-2019).

RESULTS

The period-based and cohort-based models fit the data equally well (χ2(282)=8547.93, p<0.001, comparative fit index, CFI=0.894, root mean square error of approximation, (RMSEA)=0.074, standardised root mean square residual, SRMR=0.105; χ2(273)=8514.87, p<0.001, CFI=0.894, RMSEA=0.075, SRMR=0.105, respectively) suggesting societal factors contribute to childhood vaccination attitudes. Additionally, the findings suggest attitudes towards childhood vaccinations were becoming increasingly more positive in all birth cohorts (ps<0.001), with younger and older birth cohorts exhibiting even positive attitudes compared with middle-aged cohorts.

CONCLUSION

Overall, both the cohort-based and period-based models reveal changes in vaccination attitudes suggesting that even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, societal influences had an impact on attitudes towards childhood vaccination.

Comparison of healthcare resource use and cost between influenza and COVID-19 vaccine coadministration and influenza vaccination only

OBJECTIVE

To compare healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and all-cause medical costs among individuals aged ≥50 years who received influenza and COVID-19 vaccines on the same day and those who received influenza vaccine only.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study leveraging Optum's de-identified Clinformatics DataMart from 8/31/2021 to 7/31/2023. Individuals aged ≥50 years continuously enrolled in health plans for 1 year prior and until 7/31/2023 were included. Two cohorts were formed based on vaccination status between 8/31/2022 and 1/31/2023: co-administered influenza and COVID-19 vaccines (co-admin cohort) and influenza vaccine only (influenza cohort). Associations between vaccination status and all-cause, influenza-related, COVID-related, pneumonia-related, and cardiorespiratory-related hospitalization, outpatient or emergency room visits and all-cause medical costs were estimated by weighted generalized linear models, adjusting for confounding by stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting.

RESULTS

613,156 (mean age: 71) and 1,340,011 (mean age: 72) individuals were included in the co-admin and influenza cohorts, respectively. After weighting, the baseline characteristics were balanced between cohorts. The co-admin cohort was at statistically significant lower risk of all-cause (RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.96), COVID-19-related (RR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.56-0.63), cardiorespiratory-related (RR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.93-0.96) and pneumonia-related (RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.83-0.90) hospitalization but not influenza-related hospitalizations (RR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.81, 1.04) compared with the influenza cohort. Co-administration was associated with 3% lower all-cause medical cost (cost ratio: 0.974, 95% CI: 0.968, 0.979) during the follow-up period compared to receiving influenza vaccine only.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include the potential residual confounding bias in observational data, measurement errors from claims data, and that the cohort was followed for a single season.

CONCLUSION

Receiving co-administered COVID-19 and influenza vaccines versus only receiving influenza vaccination reduced the risk of HCRU, especially COVID-19-related hospitalization and all-cause medical costs. Increasing vaccine coverage, particularly for COVID-19, might have public health and economic benefits.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? The role of personality

This article presents findings on the personality traits of individuals who identified as either Vaxxers (V) or Anti-Vaxxers (AV) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study administered measures of Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy), trait emotional intelligence, and personality to a sample of 479 participants (283 Vs and 196 AVs) recruited via mTurk. Results indicated that Vaxxers scored higher on HEXACO Honesty and Conscientiousness while Anti-Vaxxers scored higher on the Dark Triad and trait emotional intelligence. These findings contribute to the understanding of personality differences between Vaxxers and Anti-Vaxxers during a public health crisis.

Attitudes toward annual COVID-19 boosters are highly structured by partisan self-identification and trust in government: Evidence from a longitudinal survey

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.

Psychological and Personality Characteristics Associated With COVID-19 Vaccination Behavior in Korean General Population

BACKGROUND

This study characterized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination behavior in the Korean general population using cluster analysis and explored related psychological factors.

METHODS

We categorized 1,500 individuals based on their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination using hierarchical clustering and identified their level of vaccine acceptance. We examined the associations between vaccine acceptance and behavioral and psychological characteristics.

RESULTS

Clustering revealed three groups according to vaccine acceptance: 'totally accepting' (n = 354, 23.6%), 'somewhat accepting' (n = 523, 34.9%), and 'reluctant' (n = 623, 41.5%). Approximately 60% of all participants who belonged to the 'totally accepting' and 'somewhat accepting' groups were willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine despite concerns about its side effects. High vaccine acceptance was associated with older age, regular influenza vaccination, and trust in formal sources of information. Participants with high vaccine acceptance had higher levels of gratitude, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and lower levels of depression, anxiety, and neuroticism.

CONCLUSIONS

People weighed the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination against the risk of side effects when deciding to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Our findings also indicate that this vaccination behavior may be affected by coping mechanisms and psychological factors.

Dynamic role of personality in explaining COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal

Vaccine hesitancy and refusal are threats to sufficient response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health efforts more broadly. We focus on personal characteristics, specifically personality, to explain what types of people are resistant to COVID-19 vaccination and how the influence of these traits changed as circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic evolved. We use a large survey of over 40,000 Canadians between November 2020 and July 2021 to examine the relationship between personality and vaccine hesitancy and refusal. We find that all five facets of the Big-5 (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and negative emotionality) are associated with COVID-19 vaccine refusal. Three facets (agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness) tended to decline in importance as the vaccination rate and COVID-19 cases grew. Two facets (extraversion and negative emotionality) maintained or increased in their importance as pandemic circumstances changed. This study highlights the influence of personal characteristics on vaccine hesitancy and refusal and the need for additional study on foundational explanations of these behaviors. It calls for additional research on the dynamics of personal characteristics in explaining vaccine hesitancy and refusal. The influence of personality may not be immutable.

Analysis of individual characteristics influencing user polarization in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine hesitancy proved to be a major obstacle in efforts to control and mitigate the negative consequences of COVID-19. This study centered on the degree of polarization on social media about vaccine use and contributing factors to vaccine hesitancy among social media users. Examining the discussion about COVID-19 vaccine on the Weibo platform, a relatively comprehensive system of user features was constructed based on psychological theories and models such as the curiosity-drive theory and the big five model of personality. Then machine learning methods were used to explore the paramount impacting factors that led users into polarization. Findings revealed that factors reflecting the activity and effectiveness of social media use promoted user polarization. In contrast, features reflecting users' information processing ability and personal qualities had a negative impact on polarization. This study hopes to help healthcare organizations and governments understand and curb social media polarization around vaccine development in the face of future surges of pandemics.

Factors Associated With COVID-19 Non-Vaccination in Switzerland: A Nationwide Study

Objectives: We compared socio-demographic characteristics, health-related variables, vaccination-related beliefs and attitudes, vaccination acceptance, and personality traits of individuals who vaccinated against COVID-19 and who did not vaccinate by December 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data of 10,642 adult participants from the Corona Immunitas eCohort, an age-stratified random sample of the population of several cantons in Switzerland. We used multivariable logistic regression models to explore associations of vaccination status with socio-demographic, health, and behavioral factors. Results: Non-vaccinated individuals represented 12.4% of the sample. Compared to vaccinated individuals, non-vaccinated individuals were more likely to be younger, healthier, employed, have lower income, not worried about their health, have previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, express lower vaccination acceptance, and/or report higher conscientiousness. Among non-vaccinated individuals, 19.9% and 21.3% had low confidence in the safety and effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, respectively. However, 29.1% and 26.7% of individuals with concerns about vaccine effectiveness and side effects at baseline, respectively vaccinated during the study period. Conclusion: In addition to known socio-demographic and health-related factors, non-vaccination was associated with concerns regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness.

Attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine mandate: The role of psychological characteristics and partisan self-identification

Governments around the world are increasingly considering vaccine mandates to curb the spread of COVID-19. In May 2022, we surveyed 394 residents of South Dakota to examine predictors of popular attitudes toward a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. We investigated the role of Big Five personality traits, right-wing authoritarianism, and social dominance orientation, as well as partisan self-identification, evangelical identity, and COVID-19 vaccination status. Results showed that Big Five personality traits (openness and emotional stability), right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, evangelical identity, and partisan self-identification are linked to attitudes toward a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Our findings underscore the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the impact of dispositional factors on attitudes toward mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.

Dark Triad and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: the role of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception

With the spread of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the mass vaccination plan represents the primary weapon to control the infection curve. Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy also spread out worldwide. This led to exploring the critical factors that prevent vaccination from improving the efficacy of vaccine campaigns. In the present study, the role of the Dark Triad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) in vaccine hesitancy was investigated, considering the sequential mediating effects of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception. Via a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted with 210 participants surveyed using an online questionnaire to assess the Dark Triad, vaccine hesitancy, conspiracy beliefs, risk perception, and a set of demographic and socio-cultural control variables. Results showed that conspiracy beliefs and risk perception fully mediated the association between the Dark Triad and vaccine hesitancy. This finding suggested that albeit personality accounts for individual differences in human behaviour, vaccine hesitancy is also affected by irrational and false beliefs that, in turn, weaken the risk perception associated with COVID-19. Implications and future research directions were discussed.

Political Ideology and Trust in Government to Ensure Vaccine Safety: Using a U.S. Survey to Explore the Role of Political Trust

Since early 2020, the rapid expansion of COVID-19 has raised concerns about vaccine safety and the government's handling of it. Particularly notable and concerning has been a growing number of people who oppose vaccines, as this opposition poses a threat to public health. Those for and against vaccination have become polarized along a political divide. Within this context, this study focuses on the role of political trust, exploring whether political ideology is associated with the perception that the government can ensure the safety of vaccines and whether there is a moderator that can alleviate the concerns of those who oppose the government's handling of vaccine safety on ideological grounds. This study relies on the 2021 U.S. General Social Survey (GSS) and employs an ordered probit method because the dependent variable is an ordered category. The ordered probit model includes a weight provided by the U.S. GSS to account for the population. The sample size was 473 because of the inclusion of all the variables relevant to this study. The results obtained are as follows: First, conservatives associate negatively with support for the government's handling of vaccine safety. Second, more importantly, conservatives exhibit a higher trust level toward the government to ensure vaccine safety if their level of political trust increases. The results point to important implications. Political ideology matters in how individuals view the government's handling of vaccine safety. Political trust plays a key role in helping individuals alter their views toward the government's handling of vaccine safety. This points to a need for the government to take political trust seriously and work hard to improve the public's trust in the government.

Political Partisanship, Trust, and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines in Indonesia

CONTEXT

This study examines the extent to which political partisanship-measured as support for either the incumbent candidate for Indonesia's presidency, Joko Widodo (popularly known as Jokowi), or for Jokowi's challenger, Prabowo-affects individuals' risk perception of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal as well as beliefs about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.

METHODS

The authors performed multinomial logistic and ordinary least squares regression analyses on a nationally representative sample of a national survey on public trust in COVID-19 vaccines and vaccinations that was conducted in December 2020.

FINDINGS

Individuals who voted for Prabowo in the 2019 presidential election were more likely to have a lower level of willingness and a higher level of hesitancy to get the COVID-19 vaccine than those who cast their ballot for Jokowi as the Indonesian president.

CONCLUSIONS

Political partisanship does matter in shaping individuals' hesitancy or refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia. The effect of partisanship is also significant in shaping individuals' trust in the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, but it is not significantly associated with individuals' risk perceptions.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Personality Traits; Results from a Large National Cross-Sectional Survey in Qatar

Attitudes to vaccination arise from a complex interplay of personal and environmental factors. This has been true for the COVID-19 vaccination attitudes too and understanding personal factors would help design immunisation strategies that help in infectious disease control. The five-factor model of personality has been established as a valid construct in exploring individual attitudes and traits. This institutional review board approved study explores the relationship between these five domains of personality and attitudes to COVID-19 vaccination in Qatar which has a migrant majority population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Qatar using an online survey link containing validated tools to measure vaccine hesitancy and personality traits. People from diverse ethnic and sociodemographic backgrounds, amounting to 5340 individuals, completed the self-report survey. After controlling for social and demographic variables, individuals scoring significantly higher on Conscientiousness were more likely to refuse the COVID-19 vaccination, while those scoring significantly lower on Openness to experience and Neuroticism were also more likely to refuse COVID-19 vaccination. Both groups of individuals scoring significantly higher and lower on Conscientiousness and Neuroticism, respectively, were more likely to trust their own research than trust endorsement of the COVID-19 vaccine from their doctor or healthcare organisation. The study highlights the highly complex and sometimes contradictory relationship between vaccine hesitancy and personality traits and makes a case for understanding this relationship better in order to inform successful immunisation strategies.

Personality Traits Influence on Perception and Hesitancy Towards COVID-19 Vaccination Among Tertiary Care Dental Hospital in Delhi: A Cross-Section Study

Background  In the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination is recognized as a global public-health goal for preventing, containing, and stopping transmission. But the reluctance of people to receive safe and recommended available vaccines (i.e., vaccine hesitancy) was a growing concern. One of the key elements that influence how people are perceived and their reluctance to get the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be personality traits. Hence, the aim of the study was to assess the influence of personality traits on perception and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination among patients attending tertiary dental care hospitals in Delhi. Methodology A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among a sample of 322 participants aged 15-70 years attending the outpatient department of a public sector tertiary care dental hospital in New Delhi. Data was collected over a two-month period using a validated self-administered questionnaire which recorded demographic variables, individual perceptions, hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination, and personality traits [using 20-item mini international personality item pool (IPIP)]. Descriptive analysis followed by a Chi-square test and correlation test was applied. Results A total of 322 participants were contacted among which 300 participants (93%) responded which comprised 157 males (52.3%) and 143 females (47.7%). Dominant agreeableness personality shows a statistically significant positive correlation with individual perception (r=0.124, p=0.032) while a negative correlation with vaccine hesitancy (r= -0.146, p= 0.011). Among reasons for vaccine hesitancy, fear of side effects showed a significant association with personality traits (p= 0.018). Conclusion This study concluded that personality trait (dominant agreeableness) was an important factor in shaping individual perception and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination.

Predisposing, Enabling, and Need-Related Factors Associated with Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Intentions and Uptake Among Black and Hispanic Sexual and Gender Diverse Adults in the USA

The purpose of the current study was to identify predisposing, enabling, and need-based factors associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) or HPV vaccination intentions among ethnoracial minority men who have sex with men (MSM) and gender expansive natal males. This was a secondary analysis of survey data from 299 Black and Hispanic MSM and gender expansive young (aged 18-30 years) adults living in the USA. Variable selection was informed by Anderson's model of healthcare utilization. Outcomes were self-reported HPV vaccination and vaccine intentions. Less than half of the sample (45.5%) reported initiating (i.e., receiving at least 1 dose) HPV vaccination. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify relevant theoretical predictors. Among those who were unvaccinated, 14.2% were unlikely, 56.3% were undecided, and 29.4% likely to initiate HPV vaccination within the next 12 months. More favorable vaccine attitudes (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.12-2.15), past year routine check-up (aPR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.14-1.97), and ever being diagnosed with anogenital warts (aPR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.12-2.15) were independently associated with the probability of HPV vaccination. Several enabling factors (e.g., testing for sexually transmitted infections) were not associated with HPV vaccination, suggesting routine missed opportunities. There were no associations between predictor variables and HPV vaccine intentions. Targeted efforts are needed to decrease anal cancer disparities experienced by ethnoracial minority MSM. Leveraging enabling factors already present this population (e.g., STI testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis use) are potential targets for interventions to increase the reach of HPV vaccination.

Differences between COVID-19-vaccinated and unvaccinated participants from Croatia

AIM

To compare Croatian participants vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and unvaccinated participants in terms of socio-demographic, personal, social, and COVID-19-related variables.

METHODS

From August till December 2021, 721 (465 vaccinated and 256 unvaccinated) participants completed an online survey about socio-demographic (age, sex income, education, marital status), personal (well-being indicators, personality measures and health), social (trust in experts, trust in government), and COVID-19-related characteristics (fear of COVID-19, history of COVID-19 infection). Differences between the groups were assessed with discriminant analysis.

RESULTS

The variables that best discriminated between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants were higher trust in experts, no history of COVID-19 infection, older age, higher fear of COVID-19, and intellect. Conclusion The study points to the importance of trust in experts in the promotion of COVID-19 vaccine.

Examining Vaccine Sentiment on Twitter and Local Vaccine Deployment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding local public attitudes toward receiving vaccines is vital to successful vaccine campaigns. Social media platforms may help uncover vaccine sentiments during infectious disease outbreaks at the local level, and whether offline local events support vaccine-promotion efforts. Communication Infrastructure Theory (CIT) served as a guiding framework for this case study of the San Diego region examining local public sentiment toward vaccines expressed on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a sentiment analysis (including positivity and subjectivity) of 187,349 tweets gathered from May 2020 to March 2021, and examined how sentiment corresponded with local vaccine deployment. The months of November and December (52.9%) 2020 saw a majority of tweets expressing positive sentiment and coincided with announcements of offline local events signaling San Diego's imminent deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Across all months, tweets remained mostly objective (never falling below 63%). In terms of CIT, considering multiple levels of the Story Telling Network in online spaces, and examining sentiment about vaccines on Twitter may help scholars to explore the Communication Action Context, as well as cultivate positive community attitudes to improve the Field of Health Action regarding vaccines. Real-time analysis of local tweets during development and deployment of new vaccines may help monitor local public responses and guide promotion of immunizations in communities.

Differences between COVID-19-vaccinated and unvaccinated participants from Croatia

AIM

To compare Croatian participants vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and unvaccinated participants in terms of socio-demographic, personal, social, and COVID-19-related variables.

METHODS

From August till December 2021, 721 (465 vaccinated and 256 unvaccinated) participants completed an online survey about socio-demographic (age, sex income, education, marital status), personal (well-being indicators, personality measures and health), social (trust in experts, trust in government), and COVID-19-related characteristics (fear of COVID-19, history of COVID-19 infection). Differences between the groups were assessed with discriminant analysis.

RESULTS

The variables that best discriminated between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants were higher trust in experts, no history of COVID-19 infection, older age, higher fear of COVID-19, and intellect. Conclusion The study points to the importance of trust in experts in the promotion of COVID-19 vaccine.

The Relationship Between Covid-19 Risk Perception and Vaccine Hesitancy in Cancer Patients: The Moderating Role of Externalizing Traits

Objective

This mixed-methods study aimed to explore the role of externalizing traits in moderating the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and vaccine hesitancy in patients diagnosed with cancer. A community-based participatory approach - comprising a preliminary qualitative inquiry and a subsequent cross-sectional research - was used to promote effective vaccination campaigns.

Method

12 people diagnosed with cancer and 7 cancer professionals were recruited for the qualitative inquiry, 356 people either under cancer treatment or in follow-up care for the cross-sectional research.A phenomenological analysis explored the transcripts of two focus groups. The cross-sectional research tested the hypothesis emerged during the previous qualitative inquiry through self-reported questionnaires and moderated regression.

Results

Phenomenological analysis suggested a pivotal role of externalizing traits in vaccine hesitancy. Moderated regression revealed how the association between risk perception and vaccine hesitancy is moderated by externalizing traits, even when controlled for treatment adherence.

Conclusions

In the present study we found a stronger relationship between risk perception and vaccine hesitancy for patients with higher levels of externalizing traits. We suggest that vaccination campaigns should be personality-informed to offer individualized and effective solutions. Patients with externalizing traits may cope dysfunctionally with vaccination campaigns.

The current status and factors related to the preparation of home first-aid kits in China

Background

Home first-aid kits can play an important role when residents are injured, suddenly become seriously ill or suffer from disasters.

Purpose

To explore the home first-aid kit preparedness of Chinese residents and the relationship between demographic sociological characteristics, self-efficacy, Big Five personality, health literacy and home first-aid kit preparation behavior.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Information was collected through a self-designed questionnaire consisting of sociological characteristics, the New General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSES), the Health Literacy Scale Short-Form (HLS-SF12), and the 10-item short version of Big Five Inventory (BFI-10). Rank sum test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression were used to explore the relationship between independent variables and home first-aid kit preparation behavior.

Results

A total of 9,344 respondents were included, and 2,156 (23.07%) prepared home first-aid kits. Among the respondents who had prepared their home first-aid kits, disinfection supplies (85.20%), medical masks (84.51%), commonly used drugs (82.79%) were the most frequently available. The respondents whose geographic area was Central and Western China, permanent residence in the urban area, secondary education or above, monthly income of 3,000 RMB or above, health care cost-bearing method mainly resident health insurance, high subgroup of self-efficacy, high subgroup of health care dimension in health literacy, and whose openness and conscientiousness was high subgroup were more likely to prepare home first-aid kits (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The preparation rate for home first-aid kits in China is less than a quarter. The public's home first-aid kit preparation behavior is related to demographic characteristics, self-efficacy, health literacy, and the openness of the Big Five personality. A multi-level linked national emergency literacy education system should be established to enhance the residents' attention to home first-aid kits and improve the residents' ability to prevent emergencies.

The relationship between fear of COVID-19 infection, fear of COVID-19 vaccination and Big Five personality traits: a mediation model

BACKGROUND

The primary objective of our correlational, cross-sectional study was to determine the relationship between fear of COVID-19 infection and fear of COVID-19 vaccination and the role of the Big Five personality traits in this relationship.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The study sample consisted of 462 participants, including 286 women and 176 men, aged 18 to 75, recruited from the general population. The Big Five personality traits were diagnosed using the Polish version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory. We used an 11-point numerical rating scale to measure the intensity of fear of COVID-19 infection as well as fear of COVID-19 vaccination.

RESULTS

The results indicate that fear of infection has a weak positive correlation with fear of vaccination. Both types of fear have a weak negative correlation with emotional stability and openness to experience. People diagnosed with COVID-19 have significantly higher levels of fear of vaccination and lower levels of emotional stability compared to those without a COVID-19 diagnosis. Fear of infection proves a good predictor of fear of vaccination and a likely mediator between emotional stability and fear of vaccination against COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

The results may increase our understanding of the role of personality traits, such as emotional stability, in the fear of infection and COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy.

COVID-19 certificate as a cutting-edge issue in changing the perception of restaurants’ visitors—Illustrations from Serbian urban centers

As one of the first European cases of the introduction of COVID-19 certificates, the Serbian Government initiated the measure of limited working hours of restaurants for unvaccinated visitors. Due to such actions and frequent bans on working during the pandemic, many restaurants in Serbia had to lay off workers or close. At the end of October 2021, the certificate for entering restaurants and all catering facilities for all the visitors became mandatory. It is interesting to note that earlier findings suggested that some personality characteristics determine the specific behaviors during the pandemic, but there is still a small number of results related to restaurants’ visitors. This study aimed to investigate the predictive strength of the Big Five Factors (BFF) to attitudes toward visits to restaurants in Serbia during the pandemic, depending on the attitudes toward accepting COVID-19 certificates. A survey was conducted on a total sample of 953 visitors of restaurants in three major cities in Serbia. The results of hierarchical regression analysis showed that Openness and Extraversion positively predict attitudes toward visits to facilities during a pandemic, while Conscientiousness and Neuroticism were negative predictors. However, in the second step of hierarchical regression analysis, attitudes toward a COVID-19 certificate as a mediator variable significantly reduced the negative effect of Neuroticism on the attitudes toward visits. It seems that, by obtaining the certificate, the fear of unsafe stays in restaurants can be reduced, and that making decisions about (no) visiting restaurants during the pandemic does not necessarily have to be compromised by emotional lability.

Impact of cultural tightness on vaccination rate

We find that cultural tightness, that is, the level of social punishment for violating norms, is associated with lower vaccination rates against COVID-19 across both states and counties in the United States. This is consistent with individuals in tighter cultures being more likely to base risk management decisions on social norms rather than on advice from experts and leaders. It is also consistent with our documentation of a social norm against COVID-19 vaccination. This implies that when a society depends on individual action to help manage society-wide risks, social norms can influence the degree to which individuals in tighter societies will engage in actions that minimize the overall risk to the society.

Attitudes and Beliefs around the Value of Vaccination in the United States

Despite the benefits of immunization, differences in attitudes persist toward vaccines. We captured individuals’ perceptions of vaccines and vaccination across the United States (US) to inform vaccine-related policy development. A survey was completed by 5000 respondents from 10 states. Respondents were screened for inclusion, which included individuals ≥ 18 years of age that had received a vaccine or were unvaccinated but indicated a favorable or neutral attitude towards vaccinations. Participants were excluded if they indicated they did not support the idea of vaccinations. Questions explored perceptions of vaccines for all age groups. Among unvaccinated individuals, the most common concerns were about safety (38%). Most respondents (95%) highlighted the importance of state immunization programs for disease prevention. Access to health and immunization records and immunization information systems were important to 96% and 88% of respondents, respectively, for future health planning. Doctors and healthcare professionals (HCPs) were considered trusted sources for vaccine information (95%). Overall, respondents recognized the importance of vaccination, but documented concerns among the unvaccinated indicated a need for greater promotion regarding vaccine safety. Doctors and HCPs, as trusted information sources, should continue to and increasingly advocate for the importance of immunization to increase vaccine uptake.

To vaccinate or not: The relationship between conscientiousness and individual attitudes toward vaccination in real-life contexts

Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine being well-recognized as a critical tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals remain vaccine hesitant for various reasons. In the literature, one well-established finding is that skeptical attitudes towards vaccination are higher amongst individuals low in conscientiousness. However, no research is available to corroborate whether the relationship between conscientiousness and intention to vaccinate has force in real life. The present research investigated whether, in addition to self-reported conscientiousness, objectively observable index of conscientiousness behaviors is related to individual perception of vaccination. Based on self-reported data, Study 1 fully replicated prior findings that higher levels of conscientiousness are associated with more positive attitudes towards vaccination in a Chinese student sample. Using the time of arrival for an appointment as a proxy measure for conscientiousness behaviors, Study 2 revealed that non-student adults who arrived early to appointments showed stronger COVID-vaccine uptake intentions than those who arrived late to appointments. Moving beyond vaccination intention to actual behavior, Study 3 found that the arrival punctuality rates of vaccinated participants were higher than those of unvaccinated participants. Overall, our research highlights the important role of conscientiousness-related traits in individuals' COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and behavior.

COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccination hesitancy: Links to personality and general intelligence in a large, UK cohort

Vaccines are a powerful and relatively safe tool to protect against a range of serious diseases. Nonetheless, a sizeable minority of people express 'vaccination hesitancy'. Accordingly, understanding the bases of this hesitancy represents a significant public health opportunity. In the present study we sought to examine the role of Big Five personality traits and general intelligence as predictors of vaccination hesitancy across two vaccination types in a large (N = 9667) sample of UK adults drawn from the Understanding Society longitudinal household study. We found that lower levels of general intelligence were associated with COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccination hesitancy, and lower levels of neuroticism was associated with COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy. Although the self-reported reasons for being vaccine hesitant indicated a range of factors were important to people, lower general intelligence was associated with virtually all of these reasons. In contrast, Big Five personality traits showed more nuanced patterns of association.

Fear trumps the common good: Psychological antecedents of vaccination attitudes and behaviour

The study investigated antecedents of attitudes towards vaccines against COVID-19 and vaccination behaviour, and sought to identify areas where interventions aimed at increasing vaccination rates would be most effective. A sample of 500 Slovaks (250 women) responded to questions concerning their socio-demographic and personality characteristics, collectivism and individualism, consciousness of future consequences, and emotional responses to both vaccination and the pandemic. The study indicates that helplessness related to the vaccine efficacy evaluation and fear of its potential risks are the strongest antecedents of vaccination behaviour and anti-vaccination attitudes. Jointly with the fear of the COVID-19, they explained over 26% and 33% of variance in behaviour and attitudes, respectively. The results indicate that the efficiency of appeals to solidarity may be limited when fear and helplessness are widespread as they seem to strongly outweigh individuals' outward motivations to get vaccinated.

Etiology of Psychiatric Disorders: Lay Beliefs and the Role of Gender, Field of Study and Personality Traits

In the present study, we recruited a large sample (N = 595) of highly educated participants to assess which causal variables they considered as more important in the etiology of two diagnostically unlabeled cases of psychiatric disorders. The first clinical case described a patient with early schizophrenia whereas the second clinical case described a patient with conversion disorder. We aimed at ascertaining if participants' gender, field of study (scientific vs. humanistic), and personality traits influenced their causal beliefs. Based on the scores assigned to both the clinical cases, participants believed that current life stressors were the most important etiological variable and that adverse early experiences were not an important causal factor in anyone of the two clinical cases. Regardless of their field of study, women perceived the loss of a loved one as a relevant variable in the etiology of conversion disorder. Participants' beliefs about the etiology of early schizophrenia varied with their field of study. Compared to participants studying humanities, those studying scientific disciplines attributed more importance to organic causes and less importance to unconscious conflict and early traumatic experiences. Overall, the role of personality traits in influencing causal beliefs was negligible. Public education about the causes of psychopathology is necessary to optimize actual usage of mental health services and treatment choice for psychiatric disorders.

Personality Effects on Chinese Public Preference for the COVID-19 Vaccination: Discrete Choice Experiment and Latent Profile Analysis Study

Objective: This study aims to investigate the differences in public vaccination preference for the COVID-19 vaccine with different personality characteristics. Methods: Based on the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI-10), a total of 1200 respondents were categorized by personality characteristics using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA). The preference of members the public with different personality characteristics for COVID-19 vaccination was investigated based on a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Results: All respondents were divided into three groups, named the General and Stable type (79.67%), Conscientious and Agreeable type (9.5%), and Open and Extroverted type (10.83%). For the percentage importance of vaccine attributes, both the General and Stable type and Conscientious and Agreeable type respondents considered cost to be the most important (41.93% and 34.95% respectively). However, the Open and Extroverted type respondents considered efficacy as the most important (31.05%). In our conditional logit model (CLOGIT), for vaccine adverse effects, the General and Stable type and Conscientious and Agreeable type respondents preferred "very mild", while the Open and Extroverted type preferred "mild" (OR:1.108, 95%CI 0.977-1.256). The Open and Extroverted type had a higher willingness to pay (WTP) for the most preferred vaccine level compared to the other types. Conclusions: The Open and Extroverted respondents have the highest willingness to vaccinate. The General and Stable type and Conscientious and Agreeable respondents think that the cost of the vaccine is the most important attribute, and prefer the mildest side effects. The Open and Extroverted type think that vaccine efficacy is the most important attribute, prefer "mild" side effects, and have higher willingness to pay for their favorite vaccine level.

Dark Tetrad and COVID-19 protective measures: Mediating effects of risk-taking tendencies

Previous research has shown that Dark Triad traits are tied to non-compliance, while there is not enough research regarding sadism. As dark traits are related to risk-taking behaviors, we hypothesized that proneness to risk-taking could be a mediating mechanism explaining the relation between dark traits and non-compliance with protective measures. Sample comprised of 348 participants (77% women) who completed the Hateful Eight (a multifaceted Short Dark Tetrad scale), DOSPERT for measuring different aspects of risk-taking tendencies, and questions regarding frequency of compliance with protection measures and vaccination. Results showed that recklessness (aspect of psychopathy) and violent voyeurism (aspect of sadism) had negative effects on compliance with protective measures. These relations were fully explained by health/safety risk tendency. Deviousness (aspect of Machiavellianism) contributed to unwillingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 independently of risk-taking tendencies. Furthermore, selection of particular vaccine was not associated with dark traits, but those who selected all vaccines (both EU-approved and non-approved) had higher scores on social risks compared to those who selected only non-approved vaccines. Additionally, those who selected only EU-approved vaccines showed lower scores on ethical risks compared to the rest of the participants who were vaccinated or applied for vaccination.

Understanding Questions and Concerns Regarding COVID-19 and the COVID-19 Vaccine Among Populations Presenting at a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Hub: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Skepticism among the public surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine is still prevalent despite vaccine-positive communication and many Americans having already received the vaccine. Side effects of the vaccine, as well as its expeditious research and development, are among the top concerns among those hesitant to receive the coronavirus vaccine. Moreover, there is additional concern regarding the association between comorbidities and severity of illness due to the coronavirus pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to describe the pandemic- and vaccine-related concerns of South Texas residents who attended the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing's vaccine clinic with the goal of better understanding vaccine-related misconceptions and hesitancy for subsequent vaccination campaigns and boosters.

METHODS

An electronic survey accessible via a QR code on printed flyers was distributed throughout the waiting areas and post-vaccine observation rooms within the COVID-19 vaccine clinic at UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing from April 5 to 16, 2021. The survey contained a primary open-ended question designed to obtain information on concerns of the clinic attendees regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccine. A thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data to identify major themes to better understand concerns of vaccine clinic visitors.

RESULTS

During the 11-day period, 510 attendees received vaccinations through the vaccination clinic and completed the survey. Five areas of concern were identified by the 277 attendees: immunity, future vaccinations, vaccine symptoms and safety, protocol post-vaccination, and child vaccinations. Post-hoc sentiment analysis showed that responses were generally neutral or negative.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a perspective regarding questions and concerns of South Texas residents regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccine, and their general health status within a vaccinated population. Vaccine recipients were found to still have questions even after receiving the vaccine, suggesting that eliminating uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine is not necessary to motivate individuals to receive the vaccine. Instead, addressing concerns through public health messaging could be a useful strategy to address vaccine-related concerns and increase subsequent vaccine uptake in future vaccination campaigns and boosters.

Psychological factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Indonesia

Introduction

Increasing the rate of vaccination is crucial in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a survey of 112,888 Indonesians found that only 64.8% Indonesians were willing to be vaccinated, with 7.6% refusing all vaccines and 27.6% are unsure. Several factors were related to this vaccine hesitancy and refusal, such as cognitive reflection, trust in authoritative figures, and personality traits. This study aims to identify psychological determinants and other factors associated with vaccine hesitancy and vaccine refusal. This was a cross-sectional study with data collection done in March 2021 using a questionnaire. We collected demographic data, respondents' stance on vaccination, as well as their psychology measurement. IBM SPSS 26.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used for statistical analysis.

Results

The data of 190 respondents were collected for this study. There are 165 respondents (86.8%) who belong to “vaccine acceptance”, while 25 are “vaccine hesitance” or “vaccine resistance.” Multivariate analysis shows that frequency of COVID-19 tests (p = 0.03), smoking status (p = 0.035), agreeableness trait (p = 0.001), trust in government (p = 0.04) and trust in scientist (p = 0.049) are significantly associated with the two population.

Conclusion

Several demographic and psychological factors affect the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The government and other related parties should consider these factors when adjusting for future policies controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing the vaccination rate.

How do attitudes toward Covid-19 vaccine impact intentions to vaccinate in an emerging economy? The moderating effect of risk perception and Covid-19 anxiety

This article aims to investigate the factors influencing the relationship between attitudes toward Covid-19 vaccines and intention to vaccinate, specifically, risk perception and Covid-19 anxiety. The study's results clearly demonstrate that only when the risk perception is minimal does vaccination intention improve with improved vaccine attitudes. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for policymakers, non-government organizations, marketers, and practitioners about the possible challenges in the execution of a Covid-19 vaccination program in an emerging economy. There is a need for tailored communication, community engagement and strictly following the standard operating procedure (SOP) inside the vaccination centers.

Sense of purpose in life predicts greater willingness for COVID-19 vaccination

RATIONALE

Despite the clear public health significance of herd immunity to COVID-19, a host of individual differences influence willingness to get vaccinated. One factor likely to motivate individuals is the extent they have a sense of purpose in life, based on the health correlates of purpose and purposeful individuals' desire to return to their pre-pandemic environments.

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined sense of purpose as a predictor of COVID-19 vaccination willingness in the United States immediately following the initial approval of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States in 2020.

METHODS

A nationwide sample of U. S. adults (N = 2009) completed a poll including information on their sense of purpose in life, demographic factors, and depressive symptoms, immediately following the initial approval of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States in 2020. In addition, they reported on how willing they would be to get the vaccine, assuming that the costs would be covered, as well as their motivations to get the vaccine.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analyses found that sense of purpose predicted greater willingness to get vaccinated, even when accounting for demographic factors, political affiliation, and psychological wellbeing. Adults higher on sense of purpose reported greater importance of getting the vaccine for personal health, the health of others, and to return to regular activities. Exploratory analyses also suggest that purpose may provide a stronger impetus to vaccinate among those in age groups associated with lower risk for severe COVID-19 complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Although cross-sectional in nature, the current findings suggest sense of purpose in life may be an important factor in encouraging vaccination. Implications are discussed regarding how purposeful messaging may yield greater vaccination rates among individuals who otherwise may be less motivated due to health concerns.

Political ideology and vaccination willingness: implications for policy design

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments to impose major restrictions on individual freedom in order to stop the spread of the virus. With the successful development of a vaccine, these restrictions are likely to become obsolete-on the condition that people get vaccinated. However, parts of the population have reservations against vaccination. While this is not a recent phenomenon, it might prove a critical one in the context of current attempts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, the task of designing policies suitable for attaining high levels of vaccination deserves enhanced attention. In this study, we use data from the Eurobarometer survey fielded in March 2019. They show that 39% of Europeans consider vaccines to cause the diseases which they should protect against, that 50% believe vaccines have serious side effects, that 32% think that vaccines weaken the immune system, and that 10% do not believe vaccines are tested rigorously before authorization. We find that-even when controlling for important individual-level factors-ideological extremism on both ends of the spectrum explains skepticism of vaccination. We conclude that policymakers must either politicize the issue or form broad alliances among parties and societal groups in order to increase trust in and public support for the vaccines in general and for vaccines against COVID-19 in particular, since the latter were developed in a very short time period and resulted-in particular in case of the AstraZeneca vaccine-in reservations because of the effectiveness and side effects of the new vaccines.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11077-021-09428-0.