Generational differences in beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Vaccine uptake disparities across demographics hinder COVID-19 pandemic control.
• Generational cohorts possess distinct experiences influencing public health beliefs.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate generational differences in beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines.
• To analyze how historical events and public health experiences shape vaccine perceptions.
• To identify potential barriers to vaccine acceptance beyond education.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nationally representative longitudinal data from the Understanding America Study (UAS) COVID-19 tracking survey (N=7279).
• Employed multilevel logistic regression, adjusting for covariates like demographics, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, and trusted information sources.
• Defined generational cohorts by birth year: Silent (1945-), Boomer (1946-1964), Gen X (1965-1980), Millennial (1981-1996), Gen Z (1997-2012).

Main Results:

• Compared to Boomers, Silent generation individuals showed lower likelihood of believing COVID-19 vaccines have harmful side effects (OR=0.52) or cause illness/death (OR=0.53).
• Silents were more likely than Boomers to believe vaccines offer societal benefits (OR=2.27) and are effective (OR=1.97).
• Gen Z exhibited similar belief patterns to the Silent generation regarding vaccine perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences in COVID-19 vaccine beliefs exist across generational cohorts.
• Findings support the concept of 'generational imprinting,' where early life experiences shape enduring beliefs.
• Public health strategies addressing vaccine hesitancy may require approaches beyond traditional education, considering generational perspectives.