Vaccine Hesitancy in India: Facilitators and Inhibitors.

COVID-19 is yet not completely over; however, many people are hesitant to take COVID-19 vaccines despite their availability. Vaccine hesitancy is a major roadblock to attaining normalcy and controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The present research used a multitheoretical framework (Health Belief Model, 3Cs framework, fatalism, and religious fatalism) to comprehend the complexity of vaccine hesitancy. Thus, the present study aimed at exploring vaccine hesitancy in India by using key components of the Health Belief Model, 3Cs framework, fatalism, religious fatalism, and some demographics as predictors. Data were collected electronically with the help of Google Forms from 639 Indian adults following snowballing and convenience sampling techniques with standardized measures (albeit some modifications to suit the context of the study). Descriptive analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were run in SPSS (V-22) to analyze the data. Results revealed that participants of the present study scored relatively high on vaccine hesitancy. Muslims as compared with Hindus and vaccination status emerged as significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy out of the demographic factors. Fear of COVID-19, vaccine convenience, and religious fatalism also significantly predicted vaccine hesitancy. Thus, a comprehensive approach is needed to strategically use these predictors to control vaccine hesitancy.

Intention to get COVID-19 vaccines: Exploring the role of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, belief in COVID-19 misinformation, and vaccine confidence in Northern India.

This study examines people's intention to get COVID-19 vaccines and some of the psychological factors, that can facilitate the vaccination process. Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework, we hypothesized that the key constructs of TPB (attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control) would explain people's intention to get COVID-19 vaccines. Belief in COVID-19-related misinformation and vaccine confidence were added to the TPB framework in order to comprehensively assess the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions. Data was collected from 400 Indian respondents electronically during Feb-March, 2021. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The Three components of TPB collectively explained 41% of the variance in the intention to get COVID-19 vaccines. Belief in COVID-19-related misinformation and vaccine confidence, on the other hand, had no significant impact on the intention to get COVID-19 vaccines. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results.