Vaccination approval literacy and its effects on intention to receive future COVID-19 immunization

Before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine release, polls showed only 50% of Americans had intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine hesitancy may result from a lack of confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy. More research is needed to identify whether knowledge of vaccine approval processes relates to vaccination intentions.

The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate participants' knowledge regarding COVID-19 and vaccine approval processes, (2) evaluate participants' intentions to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and (3) compare participants' knowledge assessment results with COVID-19 vaccine intentions.

A prospective, cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to patients participating in a pharmacist-led chronic disease state management program. The 22-item questionnaire assessed demographic information and evaluated the participant's knowledge and vaccine intentions. Data were analyzed with an a priori alpha value of 0.05.

Nearly all participants answered correctly on questions pertaining to COVID-19 infection (n = 92, 93%), COVID-19 symptoms (n = 96, 96%), and the Food and Drug Administration's roles in vaccine approval processes (n = 92, 92%). Participants scored lower on questions involving the differing requirements between clinical trial phases (n = 20, 21%) and vaccine safety in the United States (n = 51, 53%). Most participants (n = 54, 55.1%) did not believe the trials were taking too long to produce a vaccine, but 40.4% of the participants (n = 40) believed the vaccine was approved too quickly. More than half of the participants (n = 55, 56.1%) desired more information on how vaccines get approved in the United States. Participants who scored higher on the knowledge assessment were more likely to have a plan to receive the vaccine (P = 0.008).

The results of this study demonstrate the influence knowledge has on intentions to receive vaccines and may aid health care providers in their attempts to promote vaccinations.