Correlates of COVID-19 Vaccine Regret in the United States

Despite a wealth of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy research, few researchers have measured post-COVID-19 vaccine regret or its associations with other health-related attitudes and behaviors.

To measure participants' COVID-19 vaccination status, the prevalence of post-vaccination regret, and associated health-related attitudes and intentions.

Online national survey in April (n = 2,036) and an online national longitudinal survey in June-July 2024 (n = 1,454).

US adults aged 18 and older.

The primary outcome is a three-item measure of COVID-19 vaccine regret.

Approximately 15% of US respondents who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, consistent across surveys, expressed regret. Regret was negatively associated with vaccine-related behavioral intentions and with social and institutional trust. Vaccine regret was positively associated with a desire to discourage others from vaccinating, support for anti-vaccine politicians, and beliefs in health-related conspiracy theories. Individuals who had been required to be vaccinated were more likely to regret vaccination than those who were not, though this effect is isolated to respondents who would not have vaccinated otherwise.

Vaccine regret is associated with numerous health-related beliefs and behaviors. To prevent the social contagion of regret, public health institutions should consider messaging campaigns targeting the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated. Public health researchers should be wary of using vaccine status as a proxy for hesitancy or future intentions, as regret may deter vaccinated individuals from future vaccinations.