The Effect of Frames on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Abstract

In order to control the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, it will be important to develop a communication strategy to counteract “vaccine hesitancy”. This paper reports the results of a survey experiment testing the impacts of several types of message content: the safety and efficacy of the vaccine itself, the likelihood that others will take the vaccine, and the possible role of politics in promoting the vaccine. In an original survey of 1123 American M-Turk respondents, we provided six different information conditions suggesting the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, the lack of safety/efficacy of the vaccine, the suggestion that most others would take the vaccine, the suggestion that most others would not take the vaccine, the suggestion that the vaccine is being promoted to gain greater control over individual freedom, and the suggestion that it is being rushed for political motivations. We compared the responses for those in the treatment groups with a control group who received no additional information. In comparison to the control group, those who received information about the safety/efficacy of the vaccine were more likely to report that they would take the vaccine, those who received information that others were reluctant to take the vaccine were more likely to report that they themselves would not take it, that other Americans would not take it, and that it was not important to get the vaccine, and those who received information about political influences on vaccine development expressed hesitancy to take it. Communication of effective messages about the vaccine will be essential for public health agencies that seek to promote vaccine take-up.

Factors indicating intention to vaccinate with a COVID-19 vaccine among older U.S. adults

“…Increased vaccine willingness was seen after the trial results were released, suggesting that public willingness to vaccinate may continue to rise as additional positive data are released. These data are supported by a survey experiment demonstrating those who were shown hypothetical messaging about the safety/efficacy of a vaccine were more likely, compared to a control group, to report they would take the vaccine [ 27 ]. On the other hand, given the potential for vaccine related data to shift perception, there remains the possibility that negative news stories about the vaccine (including reports of adverse events) may negatively impact vaccine willingness.…”

“…The strongest factors associated with and indicative of vaccine willingness in this population were beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine’s safety and efficacy, and a more altruistic belief whether a COVID-19 vaccine will help protect “myself and others." Vaccine safety and efficacy are among the most important factors reported influencing likeliness to vaccinate among Americans [ 9 , 27 ] and Americans 65 and over [ 11 ]. Among those disinclined to vaccinate, the majority stated that they would discuss their decision with their healthcare provider, providing an important opportunity for education.…”

Predicting COVID-19 Vaccination Intention: The Determinants of Vaccine Hesitancy

“…Framing the COVID-19 vaccine communication plan regarding the vaccination intention's psychological determinants may significantly diminish vaccine hesitancy [17]. For example, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) predicts that social norms may influence vaccination intention by shaping the individuals' perception about the socially desired behavior-injunctive norms [18].…”

Emphasize personal health benefits to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates

“…Research preceding the COVID-19 pandemic offer mixed results about the effectiveness of information on vaccinations in general ( 4 – 6 ), but recent studies suggest that public health messaging may increase COVID-19 vaccinations. Messages about vaccine safety ( 7 , 8 ), benefits to self ( 9 ) and others ( 8 – 10 ), as well as vaccines allowing life to return to normal ( 8 ) have been found to increase intended or actual vaccinations for the studied population as a whole or for subgroups.…”