Financial Incentives Are Associated with Lower Likelihood of COVID-19 Vaccination in Northeast Ohio

Abstract

Background: Declining COVID-19 vaccination rates have led to implementation of monetary incentives to increase vaccine uptake. The Ohio Vax-a-Million lottery and subsequent $100 incentives were created to encourage individuals to become vaccinated. The purpose of this survey was to determine the efficacy of these monetary incentives on vaccination rates.Methods: A 38-item questionnaire was given to outpatients at MetroHealth and Cleveland Veteran Affairs Hospitals between August 2021 and February 2022 who either waited 2 or more months to receive the COVID-19 vaccination or have not yet been vaccinated. The survey contained questions regarding demographics and perceptions of COVID-19 monetary incentives on vaccination likelihood.Results: Of the 471 participants surveyed, 0.95% reported that the Ohio Vax-a-Million lottery increased their vaccination likelihood, while 29.7% reported that it decreased their likelihood. 6.8% of respondents reported the $100 incentive increased their vaccination likelihood while 17.4% reported it decreased their vaccination chances. 20.6% of participants stated news of the Delta (d ) variant increased their vaccination likelihood.Conclusion: Our study results suggest that monetary incentives were not associated with increased COVID-19 vaccination rates. Instead, more participants believed that these incentives decreased their vaccination likelihood. Expansion of the survey across a wider sociodemographic range can provide further evidence of the efficacy of these programs before reimplementation.

Ethical Challenges Involved in COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Children: A Systematic Review

“…In Germany, about 19% of the participants opted to get vaccinated when a large sum of EUR 10,000 was offered. On the other hand, monetary incentives decreased the confidence about vaccination among others [ 34 ], whereas in Ohio, where the Vax-a-Million lottery seemingly decreased vaccine acceptance by 29.7%, and when USD 100 incentives were offered, 6.8% were motivated to take vaccin, whereas 17.4% reported a decreased likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination [ 35 ]. In Israel, incentives did not encourage parents to vaccinate their children [ 36 ].…”

Family Physicians Can/Should Do: What? Where? And How?

“…When asked, patients in Northeast Ohio reported that financial incentives decreased their likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination. 20 In this fascinating report, not only the highly publicized, high-dollar ($1 million) Ohio lottery but also other types of financial incentives do not ensure higher COVID-19 vaccination rates. More influential for acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination is personal motivation and, hopefully, clinician-patient relationships.…”

How Scientists View Vaccine Hesitancy

“…Monetary incentives and non-monetary incentives, such as public recognition, can be used to encourage people to undertake health-related actions [ 63 , 64 ]. Incentive-based interventions (payments and lotteries) were used by different policy communities during the pandemic, yet evidence of effectiveness varies across studies [ 65 , 66 ]. For example, monetary incentives seem to raise vaccination likelihood for those who are reluctant to be vaccinated but not for the unwilling [ 67 ].…”