ABSTRACT
As the COVID-19 pandemic has sadly shown, the decision against vaccination is often linked to political ideologies and populist messages among specific segments of the population: People do not only have concerns about a potential health risk associated with vaccination but seem to have also adopted more populist attitudes towards science. In this study, the relationship between science-related populism and individuals' attitudes towards vaccination was examined, presuming that scientific-related populism also influences individual responses towards different vaccinations. As different types of diseases and their vaccines might be perceived rather distinctively by the public, different vaccinations were considered. The survey is based on responses from 870 people from Germany and Austria. Results indicate that science-related populism influences responses towards some vaccination types, especially for those that receive extensive media coverage such as COVID-19 and measles (MMR). There was no significant impact of science-related populism on individuals' vaccination intentions for other vaccines like seasonal influenza, human papillomavirus, or tick-borne encephalitis. In conclusion, limitations and directions for future research are addressed.
ABSTRACT
The anti-vaccination movement, vaccine hesitancy, and wavering vaccination confidence have increasingly become matters of public interest, in parallel with an increasing normalization of representations of vaccination as risky. In this study, we used data on vaccination beliefs and behaviors from two Eurobarometer surveys to classify attitudes towards vaccination and to discuss comparability, acquiescence, and other measurement issues. Through cluster analysis, we found that individuals in the European Union (EU27) can be classified into five opinion types, differentiating the poles ("vaccine-trusting" and "vaccine-distrusting") from the "hesitant & free choice" cluster and from two relatively uncommitted clusters, the "agreeable" (or acquiescent) and the "fence-sitters." Opinion configurations on vaccination were linked to the broader social structures of age, gender, and educational attainment, to experiences of adult vaccination, and trust in different information sources. We found that trust, distrust, and confusion about vaccination have permeated all social strata in EU countries. The pandemic years have amplified uncertainty concerning vaccine safety and its effectiveness. We also noticed a decrease of trust in the voices of mainstream medical experts during the pandemic period, from about 92 % in 2019 to 73 % in 2021, and a significant increase in people who declared that they "don't know" whom to trust about vaccine information, ranging from 1 % to about 13 %. Measurements of vaccination confidence in Europe should control for acquiescence, through positively and negatively formulated items, and ensure comparability in time. We strongly recommend the inclusion of a battery of critical items in all future European Commission-funded surveys on vaccination to allow the monitoring of European public confidence in vaccination and in the relevant information sources, including trust in pharmaceutical companies; this will provide an avenue for re-establishing a broader confidence among citizens, health authorities, and specialists.
Subject(s)
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Vaccines , Adult , Humans , Vaccination , Europe , Pharmaceutical PreparationsABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase SARS-CoV-2 vaccination confidence and knowledge in adults who display reluctance or hesitancy through a brief educational discussion and a written pamphlet. Background: In recent history, the world was faced with an unprecedented challenge as a pandemic quickly encompassed the globe. In early 2020, this became commonly known and referred to as the COVID-19 pandemic. The severe health implications of this respiratory virus quickly overfilled hospitals and placed the health of communities at risk. To get ahead of further spread of COVID-19, it was pertinent to quickly develop an effective vaccine. Following rigorous clinical trials, two mRNA vaccines were approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA). What seemed like a solution became a challenge within the US. The population of the US showed reluctance to participate in COVID-19 vaccination programs. Vaccine hesitancy related to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines prolonged communities achieving adequate herd immunity. Understanding why individuals were displaying vaccine hesitancy was pertinent for implementing strategies that would lead to increased mRNA COVID-19 vaccine compliance. Methods: Participants were recruited from Peak Family Practice in Colorado Springs, CO. A pre-survey was administered followed by a short one-on-one educational session reviewing a written pamphlet about mRNA vaccines and common misinformation related to COVID-19 vaccines. A post-survey was administered after the educational intervention. Each survey had the same five questions and assessed participant knowledge and confidence related to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.Results: A total of 20 participants completed the pre- and post-survey responses, along with participating in the short educational session. No statistically significant differences were found, however, participants who changed their answers on post-survey showed an increase in confidence of mRNA vaccines as well as indicating they would be more likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: This educational intervention reviewing a written pamphlet of mRNA vaccine information was effective in increasing the confidence of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in some participants. Participants who changed their post-survey answers indicated an increase in likeliness to receive COVID-19 vaccination and showed improvement in knowledge related to mRNA vaccines. Although there was evidence of clinical significance a larger sample size would be necessary to indicate true statistical significance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)