Hope as a predictor for COVID-19 vaccine uptake

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Global recovery from the COVID-19 crisis hinges on widespread vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.
• Understanding emotional drivers is critical for achieving herd immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore emotional motivations predicting the decision to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
• To identify psychological factors influencing vaccine uptake.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 627 adult participants in Israel.
• Snowball sampling was used for participant recruitment.
• Data were collected as SARS-CoV-2 vaccines became widely available.

Main Results:

• Hope emerged as the sole significant emotional factor associated with vaccination willingness across the entire sample.
• Higher levels of hope correlated positively with the intention to get vaccinated.
• This association remained significant even among participants who had not yet received the vaccine.

Conclusions:

• Hope is an important psychological predictor of motivation for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
• Harnessing hope may be a valuable strategy to enhance vaccine acceptance and achieve public health goals.
• Further research can explore interventions to foster hope regarding vaccination.