Influence of rapid COVID-19 vaccine development on vaccine hesitancy
Introduction: In the race to deploy vaccines to prevent COVID-19, there is a need to understand factors influencing vaccine hesitancy. Secondary risk theory is a useful framework to explain this, accounting for concerns about vaccine efficacy and safety. Methods: During the first week of July, 2020,...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | text |
| Language: | English |
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Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
2021
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| Online Access: | https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/172 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/cis_research/article/1171/viewcontent/Influence_rapid_COVID_19_vaccine_devt_av.pdf |
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| Institution: | Singapore Management University |
| Language: | English |
| Summary: | Introduction: In the race to deploy vaccines to prevent COVID-19, there is a need to understand factors influencing vaccine hesitancy. Secondary risk theory is a useful framework to explain this, accounting for concerns about vaccine efficacy and safety. Methods: During the first week of July, 2020, participants (N = 216) evaluated one of three different hypothetical vaccine scenarios describing an FDA-approved vaccine becoming available “next week,” “in one year,” or “in two years.” Dependent variables were perceived vaccine efficacy, self-efficacy, perceived vaccine risk, and vaccination willingness. Covariates included vaccine conspiracy beliefs, science pessimism, media dependency, and perceived COVID-19 risk. Data analysis employed multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: Perceived vaccine efficacy was lowest for the next-week vaccine (η2p =.045). Self-efficacy was higher for the two-year vaccine than the next-week vaccine (η2p =.029). Perceived vaccine risk was higher for the next-week vaccine than for the one-year vaccine (η2p =.032). Vaccination willingness did not differ among experimental treatments. In addition, vaccine conspiracy beliefs were negatively related to perceived vaccine efficacy (η2p =.142), self-efficacy (η2p =.031), and vaccination willingness (η2p =.143) and positively related to perceived vaccine risk (η2p =.216). Conclusions: The rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine may have heightened public concerns over efficacy, availability, and safety. However, the current findings showed a general willingness to take even the most rapidly developed vaccine. Nonetheless, there remains a need to communicate publicly and transparently about vaccine efficacy and safety and work to reduce vaccine conspiracy beliefs. |
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