How Do People Decide on Getting Vaccinated? Evaluating the COVID-19 Vaccination Program through the Lens of Social Capital Theory

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted economies at a scale unprecedented in recent history, and vaccination is deemed the only option to ultimately halt its spread. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a global issue that must be addressed. If left unaddressed, it will impede the recovery of both the economy and public health following the pandemic. To better understand the issue, on the premise that individuals have layers of social ties to achieve common goals, social capital theory is proposed to examine the social connections associated with vaccine acceptance. A case study of the Republic of the Philippines’ vaccination program, in the form of an online survey involving 430 participants, was conducted using logistic binomial regression to analyze the data. Findings reveal that people’s vaccination decisions are influenced by their perceptions of their social ties regarding the vaccines, such as the perceptions one’s social ties’ trust in the vaccines, safety of use, benefits vaccines can offer, the role of media in information dissemination, and the influence of social networks. Insights regarding these findings are also discussed.

Informationsflüsse, Wahlen und Demokratie

“…Research has identified a set of factors associated with people's decision to vaccinate, namely socio-demographics, beliefs about the safety of the vaccines, endorsement of conspiracy theories, media consumption, with a special focus on social media, trust in public officials, doctors, and science, and political partisanship (Wang et al 2021;Troiano/Nardi 2021;Seddig et al 2022;Roberts et al 2022;Jennings et al 2021;Bertin et al 2020;Burke et al 2021). Some studies also added social norms, understood as people's belief that their relevant others would approve of a behavior, and moral concerns regarding vaccination as an individual contribution to a public crisis (Xiao/Wong 2020; Winter et al 2022;Coffie et al 2022;Bernados/Ocampo 2022). However, there is still very limited inquiry on the role played by personal social networks in shaping people's beliefs about the pandemic and the vaccines, as well as on their decision to receive or refuse the vaccine (Konstantinou et al 2021;Hao/Shao 2022;Facciani et al 2023).…”

Social capital and willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials: an Italian case-control study

“…In fact, limiting and ending a pandemic depends on several factors, among which are individuals’ behaviours and attitudes. It has been shown that preventive measures alone are not enough, and past research has found that social capital has a mediating role in determining individuals’ compliance with such measures [ 32 ]. Social capital should thus be urgently increased through policy actions: governmental decision makers need to consider that building trust, fostering mutual support, and promoting the political and social participation of citizens is key not only for participating in clinical trials but also for handling outbreaks, implementing emergency preparedness programmes, strengthening the social fabric, and increasing community cohesion and resilience.…”

Untitled

“…In the Republic of the Philippines, [154] reported that people's vaccination decisions are influenced by one's social ties' trust in the vaccines, safety of use, benefits vaccines can offer, the role of media in information dissemination, and the influence of social networks. An international scoping review [155] found that the most common determinants affecting vaccination intention include vaccine efficacy, vaccine side effects, mistrust in health-care, religious beliefs, and trust in information sources.…”