Trust in science and belief in misinformation mediate the effects of political orientation on vaccine hesitancy and intention to be vaccinated.

In previous studies, anti-vaccination attitudes have been attributed either to far-right voters or to both far-left and far-right voters. The present study investigated the associations of political orientation with vaccine hesitancy and intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and the potential mediating roles of trust in science and belief in misinformation. A total of 750 Italian respondents completed an online questionnaire in the period between the second and the third wave of COVID-19 (from 9th March to 9th May 2021). The results showed that political orientation had both direct and indirect associations with vaccine hesitancy and vaccine intention, mediated by trust in science and belief in misinformation. Specifically, right-wing adherents were less trustful of scientists and believed in COVID-19-related misinformation more than left-wing adherents, and these two factors accounted for their higher vaccine hesitancy and reduced willingness to receive an anti-COVID-19 vaccination. Our findings are in line with the predictions of the mindsponge theory and suggest that communicative campaigns aimed at improving the rates of vaccine acceptance in right-wing adherents should be specifically focused on enhancing trust in science and reducing belief in misinformation.

Exploring the Influencing Factors of COVID-19 Vaccination Willingness among Young Adults in China.

Vaccine uptake is considered as one of the most effective methods of defending against COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). However, many young adults are hesitant regarding COVID-19 vaccines, and they actually play an important role in virus transmission. Based on a multi-theory model, this study aims to explore the influencing factors related to COVID-19 vaccine willingness among young adults in China. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the factors that would motivate young adults with vaccine hesitancy to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data with topic modeling as a complementarity method. After comparing the differences and similarities of results generated by thematic analysis and topic modeling, this study ultimately identified ten key factors related to COVID-19 vaccination intention, including the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, application range of vaccine, etc. This study combined thematic analysis with machine learning and provided a comprehensive and nuanced picture of facilitating factors for COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Chinese young adults. Results may be taken as potential themes for authorities and public health workers in vaccination campaigns.

The impact of side effect framing on COVID-19 booster vaccine intentions in an Australian sample.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of presenting positively attribute-framed side effect information on COVID-19 booster vaccine intention relative to standard negatively-framed wording and a no-intervention control. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: A representative sample of Australian adults (N = 1204) were randomised to one of six conditions within a factorial design: Framing (Positive; Negative; Control) × Vaccine (Familiar (Pfizer); Unfamiliar (Moderna)). INTERVENTION: Negative Framing involved presenting the likelihood of experiencing side effects (e.g., heart inflammation is very rare, 1 in every 80,000 will be affected), whereas Positive Framing involved presenting the same information but as the likelihood of not experiencing side effects (e.g., 79,999 in every 80,000 will not be affected). PRIMARY OUTCOME: Booster vaccine intention measured pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Participants were more familiar with the Pfizer vaccine (t(1203) = 28.63, p <.001, Cohen's dz = 0.83). Positive Framing (M = 75.7, SE = 0.9, 95% CI = [73.9, 77.4]) increased vaccine intention relative to Negative Framing (M = 70.7, SE = 0.9, 95% CI = [68.9, 72.4]) overall (F(1, 1192) = 4.68, p =.031, ηp2 = 0.004). Framing interacted with Vaccine and Baseline Intention (F(2, 1192) = 6.18, p =.002, ηp2 = 0.01). Positive Framing was superior, or at least equal, to Negative Framing and Control at increasing Booster Intention, irrespective of participants' pre-intervention level of intent and vaccine type. Side effect worry and perceived severity mediated the effect of Positive vs. Negative Framing across vaccines. CONCLUSION: Positive framing of side effect information appears superior for increasing vaccine intent relative to the standard negative wording currently used. PRE-REGISTRATION: See: aspredicted.org/LDX_2ZL.

Parental intentions to vaccinate children against COVID-19: Findings from a U.S. National Survey.

We examined parents' COVID-19 vaccination intentions for their children, reasons for not vaccinating, and the potential impact of a school/daycare vaccination requirement or pediatrician's recommendation on vaccination intentions. Two online surveys were conducted in June-July and September-October 2021, before pediatric COVID-19 vaccines were authorized for emergency use in children age < 12 years, with an internet-based, non-probability sample of U.S. adults. Respondents with children (age < 18 years) in the household were asked about their intention (likelihood) of vaccinating these children against COVID-19. Weighted Chi-square tests using a Rao-Scott correction were performed. Vaccinated (45.7 %) versus unvaccinated (6.9 %) parents were almost seven times more likely to have vaccinated their 12-17-year-old children against COVID-19. Approximately 58.4 % of respondents with unvaccinated children ages 2-11 years and 42.4 % of those with children < 2 years said they are "very" or "extremely likely" to vaccinate these children against COVID-19. Female parents were significantly more likely (p < .01 to p < .001) to express lower levels of COVID-19 vaccine intentions. Across all age groups of children unvaccinated against COVID-19, parental vaccine intentions increased with increased household income and education levels. COVID-19 vaccine side effects and safety concerns were primary reasons for not vaccinating children. Strategies including school vaccination requirements and recommendations from pediatricians were shown to increase parental COVID-19 vaccination intentions for some. More research is needed on factors that increase/hinder COVID-19 pediatric vaccine uptake.

"We need to protect each other": COVID-19 vaccination intentions and concerns among Racialized minority and Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

People may choose to receive vaccines in response to pressures that outweigh any concerns that they have. We explored Racialized minority and Indigenous Peoples' motivations for, perceptions of choice in, and concerns about, COVID-19 vaccination. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, including a national survey administered around the time vaccines were first authorized (Dec 2020) followed by qualitative interviews when vaccines were becoming more readily available to adults (May-June 2021). We analyzed survey data using descriptive statistics and interviews using critical feminist methodologies. Survey respondents self-identified as a Racialized minority (n = 1488) or Indigenous (n = 342), of which 71.4% and 64.6%, respectively, intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Quantitative results indicated perceptions of COVID-19 disease were associated with vaccination intention. For instance, intention was associated with agreement that COVID-19 disease is severe, risk of becoming sick is great, COVID-19 vaccination is necessary, and vaccines available in Canada will be safe (p < 0.001). COVID-19 vaccines were in short supply in Canada when we subsequently completed qualitative interviews with a subset of Racialized minority (n = 17) and Indigenous (n = 10) survey respondents. We coded interview transcripts around three emergent themes relating to governmentality and cultural approaches to intersectional risk theories: feelings of collective responsibility, choice as privilege, and remaining uncertainties about COVID-19 vaccines. For example, some mentioned the responsibility and privilege to receive a vaccine earlier than those living outside of Canada. Some felt constraints on their freedom to choose to receive or refuse a vaccine from intersecting oppressions or their health status. Although all participants intended to get vaccinated, many mentioned uncertainties about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination. Survey respondents and interview participants demonstrated nuanced associations of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy shaped by perspectives of vaccine-related risks, symbolic associations of vaccines with hope, and intersecting social privileges and inequities (including racialization).

Understanding motivations and deterrents for COVID-19 vaccination among US working adults: A mixed method approach.

COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and administered in the United States. Despite evidence from clinical trials for the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, many individuals are still hesitant or even unwilling to receive one. The purposes of this study are (1) to examine characteristics associated with those willing and unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and (2) to illuminate the reasons behind their willingness and unwillingness to receive the vaccine using both quantitative and qualitative data. Data collected from 505 US working adults showed that several demographic variables (i.e. education, the size of their organization, the number of dependents, political orientation, and religion) and influence sources (i.e. family members, workplace leaders, political leaders, social media influencers, and healthcare workers) significantly correlated with people's willingness/unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Furthermore, protecting oneself was the most common reason cited by participants for willingness to get the vaccine, while being concerned about vaccine side effects was the most frequently given reason for being unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This study expands our current understanding of the COVID-19 vaccine motivators and intention factors. Practically, the findings can help develop health campaign messages effectively target working adults who are unwilling to receive the COVID-19 vaccines and ultimately increase the vaccination rate in the United States.

Drivers of the Intention to Receive a COVID-19 Booster Vaccine: Insights from the UK and Australia.

As the global pandemic perpetuates, keeping the population vaccinated will be imperative to maintain societal protection from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. However, while empirical evidence regarding predictors of the intention to receive a first COVID-19 vaccine has amassed, our understanding regarding the psychological and behavioral drivers of continued COVID-19 vaccination remains limited. In this pre-registered study (UK: AsPredicted#78370|Australia: AsPredicted#81667), factors predicting the intention to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccine were investigated in two adult samples from the UK (N = 1222) and Australia (N = 1197) that were nationally representative on factors of age, gender, and geographic location. High levels of booster intent were found (73% and 67%, respectively). Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) revealed three key predictors of the intention to receive a booster vaccine that emerged across both UK and Australian samples: concern regarding the COVID-19 virus, positive perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines, and the perceived severity of side effects experienced to the last COVID-19 vaccine dose. Several additional factors (age, months since the last COVID-19 vaccine, familiarity with side effects, and regularly receiving the influenza vaccine) were present in the Australian dataset. These findings provide important evidence that targeting psychological perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine and virus may serve to maintain participation in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, paving the way for future behavioural research in this area.

The Individuals' Willingness to Get the Vaccine for COVID-19 during the Third Wave: A Study on Trust in Mainstream Information Sources, Attitudes and Framing Effect.

Different inner and external determinants might explain an individual's willingness to get the vaccine for COVID-19. The current study aims at evaluating the effects of trust in mainstream information sources on individuals' willingness to get the vaccine and the moderator role of the message framing. Six hundred and thirty-four participants (68.5% females and 31.5% males) were enrolled in an online survey. Participants filled out a questionnaire assessing: trust in mainstream information sources and vaccinal attitude (trust in vaccine benefit, worries over unforeseen future effects, concerns about commercial profiteering, and preference for natural immunity). In addition, participants were randomly exposed to one of four conditions of framing information about the vaccine (gain-probability; gain-frequency; loss-probability; loss-frequency). Results showed that trust in vaccine benefit (b = 9.90; 95% CI: 8.97, 11.73) and concerns about commercial profiteering (b = -4.70; 95% CI: -6.58, -2.81) had a significant effect on the intention to get the vaccine. Further, a significant interaction was observed between loss-gain and trust in vaccine benefit and between frequency-probability and concerns about commercial profiteering. Future vaccination campaigns should consider the individuals' concerns about vaccine benefit and economic profits to efficaciously deliver frequency-framed or probability-framed information.

Sociodemographic predictors of and main reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in eastern Oslo: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Vaccines are an essential public health strategy to curb viral infection spreading that hinge on vaccine uptake which may be threatened by vaccine hesitant individuals. This study aims to identify sociodemographic predictors of vaccine hesitancy, main reasons for vaccine hesitancy, and how these reasons are explained by sociodemographic characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study (N = 5 442) was carried out in June 2021. A web-based survey was conducted among six eastern districts in Oslo with high infection pressure. Sociodemographic variables included gender, age, country of birth, education, and household income. Binary logistic regression models were used to explore predictors of both vaccine hesitancy and specific reasons for hesitancy. RESULTS: Vaccine hesitancy was low overall (5.8%). Findings indicate that participants with younger ages, lower education, and lower household income, and those born outside of Norway were prone to vaccine hesitancy. Over half of the vaccine hesitant sample cited barriers relating to confidence in the vaccines. Women and participants born in Norway were more likely hesitant due to fear of side effects and there being little experience with the vaccines. Otherwise, complacency barriers such as not feeling that they belonged to a risk group (46.1%), not needing the vaccines (39.1%), and wanting the body to develop natural immunity (29.3%) were frequently selected by participants. CONCLUSION: Different determinants of vaccine hesitancy among population groups demonstrate the need for clear public health communication about the risks, benefits, and importance of vaccines. Future studies with a larger sample should verify current findings and further explore the role of convenience barriers in health literacy and language. Health authorities should take these results into account and develop different public health strategies targeted at vulnerable population groups during the current and future pandemics to increase vaccine uptake and reach sufficient immunization.

Determinants of Consumer Intention towards Covid Vaccination The Mediating Role Of Attitude

Covid 19 pandemic has derailed the progress made by humanity and has caused severe damage to the social and economic life of people. The only solution to prevent the loss of life has been offered in the form of vaccines. However, various countries' vaccination program has received mixed responses from the masses. With the virus refusing to subside and the threat of emergence of a new variant, and government pushing for booster dose, it becomes imperative to study the factors that shape the consumer attitude towards vaccination. The present study attempts in that direction. A detailed questionnaire was floated among five hundred respondents, out of which 404 responses were considered for the study. A theoretical model has been proposed, consisting of nine factors, out of which seven are independent variables, one is mediating variable (attitude), and the other is a dependent variable (Vaccine Intention). In addition to the previously studied factor, the study proposes three new factors: politics and policies, design of vaccination program, and introduction of new vaccines. The results indicate that social media presence, government policies, previous vaccination experience, safety and transparency in the design of vaccination programs, knowledge of vaccines, and health benefits associated with them play a significant role in shaping the consumer intention for vaccination. The mediating role of attitude was also found to be significant for the factors. The study provides significant managerial implications regarding factors that shape the consumer attitude towards vaccination.

The acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine at early stage of development and approval: A global systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Vaccination seems to be the most effective way to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19, a disease that has adversely impacted the lives of over 7 billion people across the globe. Vaccine hesitancy represents an important threat to combat infectious diseases worldwide. This study aims to inspect the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate worldwide and the regional variation of the acceptance rates among the general population and healthcare workers across different territories of the world. In addition, it compares the vaccine acceptance rates between the pre- and post-vaccine approval periods. Method: A comprehensive systematic review was conducted using PRISMA statements. After quality evaluation, the data from eligible studies were analyzed using the random effect model. Q-test and I 2 statistics were used to search for heterogeneity. The publication bias was assessed by using Egger's test and funnel plot. Results: The combined COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate among the general population and healthcare workers (n = 1,581,562) was estimated at 62.79% (95% CI: 58.98-66.60). The acceptance rate substantially decreased from 66.29% (95% CI: 61.24-71.35) to 56.69% (95% CI: 48.68-64.71) among the general population from the pre-to post-vaccine approval periods but remained almost constant at 58.25% (95% CI: 46.52-69.97) among healthcare workers. The acceptance rates also varied in different regions of the world. The highest acceptance rate was found in the South-East Asia region at 70.18% (95% CI: 58.12-82.25) and the lowest was found in African Region at 39.51% (95% CI: 23.42-55.59). Conclusion: Low COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate might be a massive barrier to controlling the pandemic. More research is needed to address the responsible factors influencing the low global rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Integrated global efforts are required to remove the barriers.

When the first vaccine arrived: An investigation of factors that influenced the intention of health care workers in the national health system of Greece to be vaccinated against the SARS COV-2 virus during the first trimester of vaccine arrival.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccination started in Greece in the last days of December 2020. Health care workers (HCWs) of the public national health system (NHS) were on the frontline and they would be role models for all the citizens. AIM: Investigation of the intention and hesitation of HCWs (doctors, nurses, and nursing assistants) of the NHS of Greece, regarding the vaccine against SARS COV-2 virus and the factors that affect them, during the first trimester of the availability of vaccines, in the country. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in Greece among health professionals (n = 2484) of the NHS. Data were collected with the use of an online questionnaire through snowballing sampling. RESULTS: Acceptance of a safe and effective COVID- 19 vaccines was higher among doctors (85.6%), followed by nurses (66.3%), and nursing assistants (64.1%). This study confirms pre-existing research on the interaction of gender, age, quality of personal information, educational level, training by the employer, and cognitive background regarding viruses and vaccines. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study showed that once a vaccine was available, most HCWs were willing to be vaccinated. These findings could be used in the future to tailor communication and promotion campaigns, using anthropocentric strategies.

Positive Attribute Framing Increases COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Intention for Unfamiliar Vaccines.

Positive framing has been proposed as an intervention to increase COVID-19 vaccination intentions. However, available research has examined fictitious or unfamiliar treatments. This pre-registered study (aspredicted#78369) compared the effect of standard negatively framed EU patient information leaflets (PILs), with new positively framed PILs, on booster intentions (measured pre- and post-intervention) for AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. A representative sample of 1222 UK-based adults was randomised to one of six groups in a factorial design with framing (Positive vs. Negative) and vaccine familiarity (same (as previous), familiar, unfamiliar) as factors. The benefit of positive framing was hypothesised to be strongest for the least familiar vaccine (Moderna). Framing was moderated by familiarity, where only the unfamiliar vaccine showed a benefit of positive relative to negative Framing. Framing and familiarity also interacted with baseline Intention with the effect of framing on the unfamiliar vaccine especially pronounced at low baseline Intent. Conversely, standard negative framing appeared to increase intentions for familiar vaccines at low baseline intent. Findings provide important evidence that positive framing could improve vaccine uptake globally when switches or new developments require individuals to receive less familiar vaccines. Positive framing of familiar vaccines, however, should be treated with caution until better understood.

COVID-19 Vaccine Intentions and Perceptions Among Public School Staff of the Greater Vancouver Metropolitan Area, British Columbia, Canada.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine intentions among school staff as high vaccine uptake is essential to ensure schools return to normal activities. Methods: Staff (e.g., teachers, administrators, student support workers) from three urban school districts in the Greater Vancouver Area of British Columbia, Canada completed a survey between February and June 2021 (n = 2,393) on COVID-19 vaccine intentions and perceptions (i.e., acceptance of routine vaccines, benefits and risks of vaccination, susceptibility to, and severity of COVID-19, recommendation by authority figures, information mistrust and conspiracy beliefs) as part of a COVID-19 seroprevalence study. Confirmatory factor analysis followed by multiple logistic regression models adjusting for relevant covariates were used to identify vaccine perceptions uniquely associated with (a) intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine (intention), and (b) intention to get vaccinated right away (urgency). Results: In total, 95.4% of participants of the seroprevalence study completed the vaccine questionnaire, corresponding to 17.7% of the target population. Vaccine intention was associated with staff who valued expert recommendations (AOR = 10.5, 95% CI = 7.39-14.90) accepted routine vaccines (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.26-2.98) and perceived higher benefits (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.01-1.65) and lower safety risks of vaccination (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.29-0.54). Comparable associations were found with vaccine urgency. Perceived susceptibility to the COVID-19 virus was uniquely associated with vaccine urgency (AOR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05-1.61). A significant interaction effect (p = 0.01) revealed that staff who expressed mistrust in COVID-19 information intended to get vaccinated only if they also perceived high benefits of vaccination. Conclusions: Education about the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines from a trusted source had the strongest relationship with vaccine intentions among this occupational group. Notably, those who expressed mistrust in information still intended to get vaccinated if they also perceived strong benefits of the vaccine.

Experimental pre-tests of public health communications on the COVID-19 vaccine: A null finding for medical endorsement, risk and altruism.

OBJECTIVE: Vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 will only be successful if enough people want to take the vaccine. We tested a government communications intervention to encourage uptake. DESIGN: A pre-registered randomised controlled trial. METHODS: A large, nationally representative sample were randomly assigned to see one of eight posters. The posters varied by image (general practitioner or two hospital doctors) and message (control with public health guidance not related to vaccination, endorsement of the vaccine from the pictured doctor, endorsement with information about COVID-19 risk, endorsement with information about risk and appeal to get vaccinated to protect friends and family). The posters were presented as part of a larger study. The main outcomes were intention to be vaccinated and how soon people would be willing to be vaccinated. RESULTS: The posters induced different reactions indicating that participants had engaged with them. The hospital image was generally preferred to the GP image. Perhaps critically, all intervention messages were trusted less than a control message which did not mention the vaccine (Control Poster Mean = 5.65, SE = 0.09 vs. Poster M Mean = 5.18, SE = 0.09, p <.001; vs. Poster M + R Mean = 5.11, SE = 0.09, p <.001; vs. Poster M + R + F Mean = 5.33, SE = 0.09, p =.01). There were no effects of poster type on intention to take the vaccine or how soon people were willing to take it. CONCLUSION: Although the intervention messages were based on the strongest correlates of vaccine hesitancy identified by contemporaneous surveys, none was effective. More recent research suggests that focusing on the risk of COVID-19 may be less effective than focusing on the benefits of vaccination. Null findings can be as important as positive findings for designing public health campaigns. This study informed government communications about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Message framing and COVID-19 vaccination intention: Moderating roles of partisan media use and pre-attitudes about vaccination.

One of the ways to overcome the sheer devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic is to get vaccinated. However, vaccine hesitancy could be a significant barrier. The main purposes of the current study are to examine the impact of four types of theory-driven messages on COVID-19 vaccination intention and to understand the moderating role of partisan media use and vaccination attitudes. The study used a between-subject randomized online experiment with four conditions. The manipulation messages were presented as screenshots from the CDC's Facebook page. The total number of participants were 387 (female 43%, mean age 37 years). The participants were from the U.S. and older than 18 years. The findings show that loss vs. gain message frames did not have any impact on COVID-19 vaccine intention. The moderating effects of conservative media and attitudes show that in general, those who consumed lower conservative media and held positive attitudes were higher on vaccine intention, and individual vs. collective frames did not have a strong impact. However, among those participants who scored high on conservative media use, and held negative vaccination attitudes, the individual frame had a higher impact on vaccine intention. The current study experimentally tested the intertwined relationships among message frames, partisan media use, and attitudes on vaccine intention. These relationships are critical considering the political nature of the pandemic. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-02851-3.

How to Motivate SARS-CoV-2 Convalescents to Receive a Booster Vaccination? Influence on Vaccination Willingness.

(1) Background: Booster vaccinations for SARS-CoV-2 convalescents are essential for achieving herd immunity. For the first time, this study examined the influencing factors of vaccination willingness among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and identified vaccination-hesitant subgroups. (2) Methods: Individuals with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR results were recruited by telephone. They completed an online questionnaire during their home isolation in Germany. This questionnaire assessed the vaccination willingness and its influencing factors. (3) Results: 224 home-isolated individuals with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in the study. Vaccination willingness of home-isolated SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals with asymptomatic or moderate course was 54%. The following factors were associated with significantly lower vaccination willingness: younger age, foreign nationality, low income, low trust in vaccination effectiveness, fear of negative vaccination effects, low trust in the governmental pandemic management, low subjective informativeness about SARS-CoV-2, support of conspiracy theories. (4) Conclusions: The vaccination willingness of home-isolated SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals with asymptomatic or moderate symptomatic course was low. Motivational vaccination campaigns should be adapted to individuals with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and consider the vaccination-hesitant groups. Vaccination education should be demand-driven, low-threshold, begin during the acute infection phase, and be guided for example by the established 5C model ("confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, collective responsibility").

Validity and Reliability of a Brief Scale of Intention to Vaccinate Against COVID-19 in a Peruvian Sample.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of a brief scale measuring intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 in a Peruvian sample in the context of the current pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional and instrumental study was carried out. A total of 547 Peruvian citizens selected through non-probability convenience sampling participated. Considering existing theories of vaccination hesitancy, 12 items were proposed that evaluate the intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 and the internal structure was evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was analyzed with the ordinal alpha coefficient. RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis yielded a structure of 2 oblique factors that explain 69% of the total variance and the items saturated between 0.52 and 0.97. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that, of 4 models analyzed, the fourth model that was composed of 6 items presented optimal indices of goodness-of-fit (X2 = 11.089, P = .197, CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.034 [IC 90%, 0.000-0.077], SRMR = 0.016). Reliability analysis through the ordinal alpha coefficient yielded that the brief scale of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 has adequate internal consistency (α = .91). CONCLUSIONS: The brief scale of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 presents adequate psychometric properties that demonstrate validity and reliability and can be used in future research and clinical practice.

Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in High Income Countries Prior to Vaccine Approval and Rollout: A Narrative Review.

Objectives: Acceptance and high uptake of COVID-19 vaccines continues to be critical for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. This narrative review aimed to summarise findings on factors influencing acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in the period leading up to the approval and rollout. Methods: We conducted a narrative review of literature published in 2020 on factors influencing acceptance of hypothetical COVID-19 vaccines in adults in high income countries with well-established health systems. Results: Facilitators of acceptance included confidence in vaccine safety and effectiveness, high COVID-19 disease risk perception and trust in health authorities and other vaccine stakeholders, including government. Barriers included safety and effectiveness concerns, perceived scientific uncertainty, low disease risk perception, and low trust in authorities and other stakeholders. Conclusion: Evidence on facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, at a time prior to vaccine rollout, can help health authorities address hesitancy and may inform approaches to support acceptance of novel pandemic vaccines in the future. Future research should include in-depth qualitative research to gather more nuanced evidence.