Predicting COVID‐19 booster vaccine intentions

Abstract

Achieving broad immunity through vaccination is a cornerstone strategy for long‐term management of COVID‐19 infections, particularly the prevention of serious cases and hospitalizations. Evidence that vaccine‐induced immunity wanes over time points to the need for COVID‐19 booster vaccines, and maximum compliance is required to maintain population‐level immunity. Little is known of the correlates of intentions to receive booster vaccines among previously vaccinated individuals. The present study applied an integrated model to examine effects of beliefs from multiple social cognition theories alongside sets of generalized, stable beliefs on individuals' booster vaccine intentions. US residents ( N = 479) recruited from an online survey panel completed measures of social cognition constructs (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and risk perceptions), generalized beliefs (vaccine hesitancy, political orientation, and free will beliefs), and COVID‐19 vaccine intentions. Social cognition constructs were related to booster vaccine intentions, with attitude and subjective norms exhibiting the largest effects. Effects of vaccine hesitancy, political orientation, and free will beliefs on intentions were mediated by the social cognition constructs, and only vaccine hesitancy had a small residual effect on intentions. Findings provide preliminary evidence that contributes to an evidence base of potential targets for intervention messages aimed at promoting booster vaccine intentions.

Behavioral Intention and Its Predictors toward COVID-19 Booster Vaccination among Chinese Parents: Applying Two Behavioral Theories

“…Interestingly, even in different study samples, behavioral control showed consistent significance, which revealed behavioral control as a powerful predictor of COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Recently, in a booster vaccination study, attitude and subjective norms were also found to be related to intentions [ 54 ]. In order to enhance uptake of the vaccine to ensure herd immunity, and reduce the incidence of severe cases, the public health departments should raise parents’ health beliefs and social responsibility through positive publicizing of the effectiveness and social worth of the vaccine booster.…”

Determining the Prevalence and Correlates of COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Hesitancy in the Singapore Population Following the Completion of the Primary Vaccination Series

“…While vaccine hesitancy has been extensively explored before the COVID-19 pandemic, research on booster vaccine hesitancy, particularly for COVID-19, is limited. With accounts of potentially new COVID-19 variants requiring the adaptation of existing vaccines and repeated doses [ 14 ], promulgation of anti-vaccination beliefs, conspiracies and misinformation on social media [ 15 ], as well as reports of the decreased severity of Omicron and waning vaccine immunity [ 16 ], hesitancy involving booster doses warrants investigation. While the development and availability of primary COVID-19 vaccines were eagerly anticipated in the early stages of the pandemic, with a more stable epidemiological profile and natural immunity conferred by infection rates, hesitancy and reluctance to undergo repeated COVID-19 booster vaccinations may become a challenge in maintaining sufficient immunization coverage against COVID-19.…”

Factors associated with COVID-19 booster vaccine willingness among migrants from the Eastern Mediterranean living in Australia: a cross-sectional study

“…Previous studies reported that information need, subjective norms, perceived risk, and information channels can affect COVID-19 vaccine willingness, but they did not ask participants explicitly about exposure to the concerning news. 12,21,22,24,25,29,30,[33][34][35][36] The effect of exposure to concerning news on willingness to receive a booster dose is an area that needs further research especially with the introduction of new vaccines. Our nding may be related to explicitly asking respondents about the news they had consumed in recent months.…”