Understanding vaccine willingness in post-COVID America: Key determinants and demographic differences

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of vaccines and influenced public trust and hesitancy.
• Understanding factors driving vaccine uptake is vital for future epidemic preparedness, especially in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing individuals' willingness to vaccinate during a hypothetical epidemic.
• To identify key demographic and social determinants of vaccine uptake.

Main Methods:

• An online survey with 2352 participants utilized discrete choice experiments.
• Conditional logit and logistic regression models analyzed associations between willingness to vaccinate and various characteristics.
• Vaccine attributes (effectiveness, safety, price), disease characteristics (contagiousness, mortality), and social network vaccination rates were manipulated.

Main Results:

• Vaccine effectiveness, safety, and lower cost positively correlated with willingness to vaccinate.
• Higher vaccination rates in outer social networks increased willingness, with exceptions for slow-spreading, high-mortality diseases.
• Effectiveness was prioritized over safety for high-mortality diseases; prior COVID-19 experience increased willingness.

Conclusions:

• Vaccine uptake is influenced by perceived effectiveness, safety, cost, and social norms.
• Public health strategies should tailor messaging on effectiveness and safety based on disease risk and target social networks for increased vaccination.
• Culturally sensitive outreach is essential to address mistrust and promote vaccine acceptance for future epidemics.