The association of conspiracy beliefs and the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination: a cross-sectional study

Kowalska-Duplaga, Kinga; Duplaga, Mariusz

doi:10.1186/s12889-023-15603-0

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported by using simple and multiple logistic regressions, respectively. In the adjusted model, we included all Due to the fact that higher levels of conspiracy beliefs are associated with lower levels of attitude/willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination 25,26 and increased vaccine hesitancy 27 as well that given the previous studies have used this variable as an independent variable in their mediation models, [25][26][27] the current study was regarded conspiracy beliefs as the independent variable in the mediation analysis. As well, previous studies have used health literacy as an independent variable, 28,29 and due to a significant bivariate relationship between health literacy and COVID-19 vaccination, we regarded health literacy as the independent variable in the mediation analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID‐19 vaccine uptake, conspiracy theories, and health literacy among Black individuals in Canada: Racial discrimination, confidence in health, and COVID‐19 stress as mediators

Cénat,

Farahi,

Dalexis

et al. 2024

Journal of Medical Virology

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Factors influencing vaccine uptake in Black individuals remain insufficiently documented. Understanding the role of COVID‐19 related stress, conspiracy theories, health literacy, racial discrimination experiences, and confidence in health authorities can inform programs to increase vaccination coverage. We sought to analyze these factors and vaccine uptake among Black individuals in Canada. A representative sample of 2002 Black individuals from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, British Columbia, and Manitoba, aged 14 years or older completed questionnaires assessing vaccine uptake, health literacy, conspiracy theories, racial discrimination experiences, COVID‐19‐related stress, and confidence in health authorities. Mediation analyses were conducted to assess (1) the effect of health literacy on COVID‐19 vaccination uptake through confidence and need, COVID‐19 related traumatic stress, and racial discrimination, and (2) the effect of conspiracy beliefs on COVID‐19 vaccination uptake through the same factors. Overall, 69.57% (95% confidence interval, 67.55%–71.59%) of the participants were vaccinated and 83.48% of them received two or more doses. Those aged 55 years and older were less likely to be vaccinated, as well as those residing in British Columbia and Manitoba. Mediation models showed that the association between health literacy and COVID‐19 vaccine uptake was mediated by confidence in health authorities (B = 0.02, p < 0.001), COVID‐19‐related stress (B = −0.02, p < 0.001), and racial discrimination (B = −0.01, p = 0.032), but both direct and total effects were nonsignificant. Lastly, conspiracy beliefs were found to have a partial mediation effect through the same mediators (B = 0.02, p < 0.001, B = −0.02, p < 0.001, B = −0.01, p = 0.011, respectively). These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address vaccine hesitancy and inform approaches to improve access to vaccinations among Black communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID‐19 vaccine uptake, conspiracy theories, and health literacy among Black individuals in Canada: Racial discrimination, confidence in health, and COVID‐19 stress as mediators

Cénat,

Farahi,

Dalexis

et al. 2024

Journal of Medical Virology

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“…Clearly, we observed some propensity toward conspiracy beliefs, especially associated with vaccination. We had also previously marked a high prevalence of conspiracy beliefs regarding COVID-19 in Polish society [ 10 , 32 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed this suggestion [ 5 ]. Conspiracy beliefs were a strong predictor of non-adherence to preventive measures, including COVID-19 vaccination [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Believing conspiracy theories predicted lower adherence to the preventive measures recommended during the initial phase of the pandemic. A study performed in October 2021 showed that conspiracy beliefs were a negative predictor of the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination [ 10 ]. The negative association between conspiracy beliefs and compliance with preventive behaviors and vaccination willingness during the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in many other studies [ 5 , 22 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Manifestation of Health Denialism in Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination: A Qualitative Study

Młoźniak,

Zwierczyk,

Rzepecka

et al. 2023

Vaccines

Self Cite

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Science denialism is characterized by the refusal to accept existing consensus and available evidence. Typical strategies denialists employ include spreading conspiracies, selective use of information, relying on fake experts, or general fallacies in logic. A flood of misinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, it was a subject of many denialistic opinions, from denying the existence of the epidemic challenge to claims that questioned the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines. This study’s main aim was to assess the manifestations of denialism in attitudes toward the preventive measures recommended during the pandemic, with a special focus on vaccination. In-depth interviews were conducted with fifty representatives of the general population, demonstrating diversified opinions about COVID-19 vaccines and other preventive behaviors. The interviews were performed face to face in participants’ houses or at other places they identified as convenient. Some of the interviewees preferred to do the interview via teleconference. The interviews were carried out from November 2022 to March 2023. The interviewees were recruited initially by convenience, and in further stages, the snowball technique was used. The interviewees were residents of four main administrative districts in Poland. Out of 50 participants, 26 were males, 29 were between 18–40, 16 were inhabitants of rural areas, and 28 had a university level of education. The interviews were based on a semi-structured guide that addressed, in addition to views about the origin of the new coronavirus, respondents’ attitudes toward vaccination and sanitary recommendation, the health status of interviewees, their use of healthcare services, and their health behaviors. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed with MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2022 software (Release 22.7.0). Thematic analysis (TA) was applied to the content generated from the interviews. Based on the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine, the participants were divided into three groups: unvaccinated, hesitant, and vaccinated (18, 4, and 28 interviewees, respectively). The main themes were established based on the TA of the interviews: attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination, perception of sources of information, and the origin of the new coronavirus. The first theme decidedly drew the greatest attention of the interviewees. There was also a clear relationship between vaccination status and the presence of denialist thinking among interviewees. Interestingly, the role of experts as a key source of information about the pandemic was underlined by study participants. However, the criteria for being an expert differed. The subject of the origin of a new coronavirus was not interesting to interviewees. The analysis of the adherence to preventive measures revealed an interplay of diversified attitudes and motivations. Individuals presenting denialist views most frequently abstained from COVID-19 vaccination. However, such views were also present among those who hesitated or even among those who had been vaccinated. Furthermore, denialism was only one of the determinants of adherence to preventive measures.

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“…Belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories has exerted considerable influence on vaccination hesitancy. Previous studies found a strong positive correlation between conspiracy suspicions regarding the coronavirus and vaccine hesitancy, as an indicator of lower adherence to preventive measures ( 28 , 29 ). “Conspiracy beliefs” was one of the key factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, as revealed by a systematic review ( 30 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social media trust predicts lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and higher excess mortality over 2 years

Chen,

Ye,

Cheng

et al. 2023

PNAS Nexus

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Trust plays a crucial role in implementing public health interventions against the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the prospective associations of interpersonal, institutional, and media trust with vaccination rates and excess mortality over time in two multinational studies. In study 1, we investigated the country-level relationships between interpersonal trust, vaccination rates, and excess mortality across 54 countries. Interpersonal trust at the country level was calculated by aggregating data of 80,317 participants from the World Values Survey in 2017–20. Data on vaccination rates and excess mortality were obtained from the World Health Organization. Our findings indicated that higher levels of interpersonal trust were linked to higher vaccination rates and lower excess mortality rates in both 2020 and 2021. In study 2, we collected data from 18,171 adults in 35 countries/societies, stratified by age, gender, and region of residence. At the country/society level, interpersonal trust and trust in local healthcare facilities, local healthcare services, and healthcare professionals were associated with higher vaccination rates and lower excess mortality, whereas social media trust was associated with lower vaccination rates and higher excess mortality across three time points over 2 years. Our findings are robust when controlling for country-level covariates of the government stringency index, population density, and medical resources (i.e. critical care beds) in both studies.

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The association of conspiracy beliefs and the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination: a cross-sectional study

Cited by 10 publications

References 85 publications

COVID‐19 vaccine uptake, conspiracy theories, and health literacy among Black individuals in Canada: Racial discrimination, confidence in health, and COVID‐19 stress as mediators

COVID‐19 vaccine uptake, conspiracy theories, and health literacy among Black individuals in Canada: Racial discrimination, confidence in health, and COVID‐19 stress as mediators

Manifestation of Health Denialism in Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination: A Qualitative Study

Social media trust predicts lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and higher excess mortality over 2 years

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