News reports indicate that COVID-19 vaccines are not getting enough or insufficient supplies in most regions, but an underlying problem may outweigh a shortage. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that more than a third of people nationwide are either unlikely or at least reluctant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.
The results of a public vote of more than 800 English-speaking adults across the country are in a survey published online earlier this month in the magazine Vaccination.
Our research shows that underage vaccination uptake … with 14.8 per cent of respondents unlikely to receive the vaccine and a further 23 per cent unsure. “
Jeanette B. Ruiz, Principal Research Author and Associate Professor of Teaching Communications, University of California – Davis
“Even though vaccination remains one of the most effective public health initiatives, some still question the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 vaccination process may be a brutal process. has added to these doubts. “
Co-author is Robert Bell, professor of communications emeritus, UC Davis.
Respondents cited safety and efficacy assessments of vaccines as the primary basis for delay, authors said.
In the study, compensation partners were recruited from the United States through an online survey panel of 2.5 million residents developed by a commercial review company. Recruitment was based on quota sampling to represent the U.S. sample representative according to the U.S. census and was representative of the U.S. population in terms of area of residence, gender, and age, but also diverse in terms of each demographic variable assessed.
Researchers measured the intention of the vaccine respondents; the profile of the demographic and health status of those least likely to be vaccinated; general knowledge of vaccines and vaccine conspiracy theories; and the role of the media and partisan politics against getting vaccinated.
Political party, health risk factors, media contribute to opinions
The authors identified demographic characteristics, vaccine experience, perceived vulnerability to COVID-19, risk factors for COVID-19, and politics that tend to contribute to vaccine delay. The study was conducted relatively early in the two-day pandemic outbreak in June 2020.
Demographic predictors of the likelihood of vaccination against COVID-19 included revenues of $ 120,000 or more or being a Democrat (compared to the Republican reference sector).
Members of three political groups – Democratic, Republican or Independent – did not differ in their reported vaccination experience, however. A quarter of those who indicated no political party said they were unlikely to be vaccinated.
The media was also influential. Respondents who relied heavily on social media for information on COVID-19 expected a lower likelihood of uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Those who reported receiving the information from various other media did not show significant differences in vaccine uptake, but Fox News viewers said they were more lazy than other broadcast news viewers, the research showed.
The authors noted that it is possible that individuals aspire to the cable news networks that present a view of the pandemic that is in line with their own views.
Media reports have consistently noted that men, adults ages 65 and older, and individuals with pre-existing conditions are more vulnerable to COVID-19, and said -response from these groups that they were more likely to adopt vaccines in this study in the future. A majority of respondents with the lowest education did not expect to be vaccinated against COVID-19, researchers said.
The four main reasons given for vaccine delay were: concerns about vaccine side effects, concerns about allergic responses to the vaccine, doubts about vaccine effectiveness and an option to improve immunity through disease.
Other causes have not been mentioned so often – including being healthy, fear of needles, being free from diseases in the past, being young and a lack of anxiety about developing a serious illness.
Unfortunately, the health differences present in the distribution and treatment of COVID-19 were reflected in the vaccine hesitancy estimates of survey participants, “researchers said in the paper.” The pandemic in particular has placed a burden on the African American, Latino, and Native American communities, who account for an disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine was more likely to be associated with greater knowledge of vaccines, reduced uptake of vaccine conspiracies, enhanced COVID-19 threat assessments, and routine use with the flu vaccine . “
Summary of primary school decisions
- Men, older, white, married, and those from higher income families are more likely to be vaccinated.
- Republicans and Fox News viewers were less likely to get vaccinated.
- With the current vaccination against influenza the COVID-19 vaccine resolution is expected.
- A better understanding of COVID-19 vaccine delay is needed.
Source:
University of California – Davis
Magazine Reference:
Ruiz, J. B & Bell, UK (2021) Predators expecting a vaccine against COVID-19: Results of a national study. Vaccination. doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.01.010.