COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among young adults in Canada.

OBJECTIVES: Vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted decision process that encompasses various factors for which an individual may choose to get vaccinated or not. We aimed to identify the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, current COVID-19 vaccine factors, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. METHODS: The present research is a multi-province cross-sectional study design. Survey data were collected in May and June 2021 (n=4905) in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Multivariate ordinal regression models were used to assess the association between vaccine hesitant profiles and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, and specific factors pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines. RESULTS: Participants were aged 18 to 40 years and 59% were women. Individuals with low income, with low educational attainment, and/or who are unemployed were more likely to be vaccine hesitant. COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs and general attitudes towards vaccines are significantly associated with greater hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine factors including pro-vaccine actions and opinions of friends and family and trust in scientists and government as well as the country in which a vaccine is manufactured are associated with less vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION: Conspiracy theories are distinct from criticism and concerns regarding the vaccine. Nevertheless, poverty, low level of education, and distrust towards the government are associated with higher odds of being vaccine hesitant. Results suggest it is imperative to deliver transparent and nuanced health communications to address legitimate distrust towards political and scientific actors and address the societal gap regarding general attitudes towards vaccines as opposed to focusing solely on COVID-19.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: L'hésitation vaccinale est un processus de décision multidimensionnel qui englobe divers facteurs qui contribuent au choix individuel de se faire vacciner ou non. Cet article étudie la relation entre les théories du complot autour de la COVID-19, les attitudes générales envers les vaccins, les facteurs spécifiques aux vaccins contre la COVID-19 et l'hésitation vaccinale dans le contexte de la COVID-19. MéTHODES: La présente recherche est une étude transversale multi-provinces. Les données de l'enquête ont été recueillies en mai et en juin 2021 (n=4905) en Alberta, en Ontario et au Québec. Des modèles de régression ordinale multivariés ont été utilisés pour évaluer l'association entre l'hésitation à se faire vacciner et les théories du complot autour de la COVID-19, les attitudes générales envers les vaccins et des facteurs spécifiques relatifs aux vaccins contre la COVID-19. RéSULTATS: Les répondants sont âgés de 18 à 40 ans et 59 % s'identifient comme étant des femmes. Les personnes ayant un faible revenu, ayant un faible niveau d'éducation et/ou sans emploi étaient plus susceptibles d'hésiter à se faire vacciner. L'adhésion à la théorie du complot du COVID-19 et les attitudes générales envers les vaccins sont significativement associées à plus d'hésitation à se faire vacciner contre la COVID-19. Les facteurs liés aux vaccins, y compris les actions pro-vaccins et les opinions des amis et de la famille, et la confiance envers les scientifiques et le gouvernement ainsi que le pays de fabrication du vaccin sont associés à moins d'hésitation vaccinale. CONCLUSION: Les théories du complot sont distinctes des préoccupations concernant le vaccin. La pauvreté, le faible niveau d'éducation et la méfiance envers le gouvernement sont associés à des niveaux plus élevés d'hésitation vaccinale. Les résultats suggèrent que les communications en santé devraient être transparentes et nuancées sur la santé de façon à diminuer la méfiance envers les acteurs politiques et scientifiques et à combler le fossé sociétal concernant les attitudes générales envers les vaccins plutôt que de se cibler uniquement la COVID-19.

Meaning in Life, Future Orientation and Support for Violent Radicalization Among Canadian College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased levels of uncertainty and social polarization in our societies, compromising young people's capacity to envision a positive future and maintain a meaningful sense of purpose in life. Within a positive youth development framework, the present study investigates the associations of a positive future orientation, presence of and search for meaning in life, and support for violent radicalization (VR) in a diverse sample of Canadian college students. In addition, we investigate the moderating role of future orientation in the association between presence of and search for a meaning in life and support for VR. A total of 3,100 college students in Québec (Canada) (69% female; M age = 18.57, SD age = 1.76) completed an online survey during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from linear mixed-effects models indicate that a positive future orientation and a higher presence of a meaning in life were negatively and independently associated with support for VR. Search for meaning in life was not associated with support for VR. The magnitude of the negative association between presence of a meaning in life and support for VR was greater among students with a more positive future orientation. Schools and colleges are in a privileged position to implement preventive interventions to support a positive future orientation and the presence of a meaning in life among young people during these challenging and uncertain times and reduce the risk of violence related to extreme ideologies in our rapidly changing society.

Cumulative and independent effects of experiences of social adversity on support for violent radicalization during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of depression.

PURPOSE: Social adversity experiences have increased during the pandemic and are potential risk factors for both depression and support for violent radicalization (VR). However, the cumulative and independent effects of various social adversity experiences on support for VR have yet to be explored. This paper examines the cumulative and independent effects of COVID- and non-COVID-related discrimination, exposure to violence, traditional and cyberbullying victimization on support for VR. In addition, we investigate whether depression mediates the relationship between these forms of social adversity and support for VR. METHODS: A total of 6003 young adults (Mage = 27, SDage = 4.40, range 18-35) living in metropolitan areas in Canada responded to an online survey. We used multivariable regression models, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, to infer covariate adjusted associations between social adversity measures and support for VR. Additionally, we conducted a formal mediation analysis to estimate the proportion mediated by depression. RESULTS: There was a cumulative relationship between experiences of social adversity and support for VR (ß = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.32, 1.72). COVID-related discrimination and cyberbullying victimization were independently associated with stronger support for VR. Depression partially mediated the effect of cumulative social adversity, COVID-related discrimination and cyberbullying on support for VR. CONCLUSION: Prevention programs during the present pandemic should prioritize decreasing discrimination and providing psychosocial support to depressed young adults who experience social adversity. Practitioners should prioritize developing programs that foster digital literacy skills and critical thinking among young adults to address the concerning impact of cyberbullying on support for VR.

Conspiracy Theories, Psychological Distress, and Sympathy for Violent Radicalization in Young Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread uncertainty, promoted psychological distress, and fueled interpersonal conflict. The concomitant upsurge in endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories is worrisome because they are associated with both non-adherence to public health guidelines and intention to commit violence. This study investigates associations between endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, support for violent radicalization (VR) and psychological distress among young adults in Canada. We hypothesized that (a) endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories is positively associated with support for VR, and (b) psychological distress modifies the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theories and support for VR. A total of 6003 participants aged 18-35 years old residing in four major Canadian cities completed an online survey between 16 October 2020 and 17 November 2020, that included questions about endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, support for VR, psychological distress, and socio-economic status. Endorsement of conspiracy theories was associated with support for VR in multivariate regression (ß = 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-0.96). There is a significant interaction effect between endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and psychological distress (ß = 0.49, 95% CI 0.40-0.57). The magnitude of the association was stronger in individuals reporting high psychological distress (ß = 1.36, 95% CI 1.26-1.46) compared to those reporting low psychological distress (ß = 0.47, 95% CI 0.35-0.59). The association between endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and VR represents a public health challenge requiring immediate attention. The interaction with psychological distress suggests that policy efforts should combine communication and psychological strategies to mitigate the legitimation of violence.