Investigating the role of threat, coping, and sociodemographic factors on COVID-19 vaccination intention

Drawing on the protection motivation theory (PMT), the current study examined the psychological and sociodemographic factors that influence COVID-19 vaccination intention after the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines.

Hierarchical analysis showed that only perceived vulnerability (β = .10, 95% CI = .05, .26) and efficacy response (β = .45, 95% CI = .56, .76) were significant predictors of vaccination intention. Multinomial logistic regression showed that older, men, White, with at least college education, with liberal political leaning, and pro-vaccine religious views had higher vaccination intention, whereas younger, women with less than college education, anti-vaccine religious views, and with conservative or neutral political leaning had higher odds of hesitancy and refusal. Content analysis showed that the barriers to vaccination included concerns about vaccine safety, distrust in pharmaceutical companies, availability of and accessibility to vaccines, inexistent personal health risk factors, preference for natural immunity, fear of the vaccination process, lack of information about the vaccine, and distrust in the media.

This study provided useful insights about the sociopsychological and sociodemographic factors that influence vaccination intention after the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines. Thus, these factors can be taken into account when designing tailored health promotion interventions to address vaccine hesitancy.