Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Canada

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Sociology

Background:

• Canada experienced high COVID-19 vaccination rates early on, but vaccine hesitancy remains a barrier to protection and booster uptake.
• Existing theories on vaccine hesitancy focus on knowledge deficits or emotional responses, which may not fully explain current Canadian attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Canadians' perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines and their decision-making processes.
• To analyze the influence of public policy and health messaging on vaccination attitudes and behaviors.
• To propose a new theoretical framework for understanding vaccine hesitancy.

Main Methods:

• Focus group interviews with 18 vaccinated and unvaccinated adult Canadians in October 2021.
• Analysis of participants' perceptions, decision-making factors, and responses to public health messaging.

Main Results:

• Vaccine hesitancy was often linked to an information surplus and difficulty prioritizing contradictory sources, challenging the "knowledge deficit" model.
• Top-down vaccination messaging led to perceived "moral shaming" and pushback from participants.
• The influence of trusted medical providers remained a significant factor, aligning with prior research.

Conclusions:

• Current theoretical frameworks for vaccine hesitancy are insufficient to explain Canadian COVID-19 vaccine attitudes.
• An "information surplus" and perceived shaming are key drivers of hesitancy, necessitating new theoretical approaches.
• Understanding these nuances is crucial for future vaccination strategies, especially concerning new variants and booster uptake.