Willingness to Vaccinate Against COVID-19: The Role of Health Locus of Control and Conspiracy Theories

Abstract

Understanding the predictors of the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 may aid in the resolution of current and future pandemics. We investigate how the readiness to believe conspiracy theories and the three dimensions of health locus of control (HLOC) affect the attitude toward vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the data from an online survey of a sample of Czech university students (n = 866) collected in January 2021, using the multivariate linear regression models and moderation analysis. The results found that 60% of Czech students wanted to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, 40% of the variance of willingness to get vaccinated was explained by the belief in the COVID-19-related conspiracy theories and the powerful others dimension of HLOC. One-sixth of the variance of the willingness to get vaccinated was explained by HLOC, cognitive reflection, and digital health literacy [eHealth Literacy Scale (EHEALS)]. HLOC and conspiracy mentality (CM) and its predictors are valid predictors of a hesitancy to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The campaigns promoting vaccination should target the groups specifically vulnerable to the conspiracy theories and lacking HLOC related to powerful others.

Intuition, reason, and conspiracy beliefs

“…In this case the intuitive answer is 'first place'; however, of course, if you pass the person in second place then you are in second place [16]. Most of the work using measures of analytic thinking has revealed a small to moderate relationship with conspiracy beliefs [6,9,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29], such that an increased reliance on intuitive thinking is associated with conspiracy beliefs, while analytical thought appears to protect against such beliefs (and some evidence indicates that conspiracy beliefs are more strongly associated with higher intuitive thinking than lower analytic thinking) [30].…”

“…Unfounded claims about COVID-19, such as it being a hoax [26] has decreased scientific trust among some individuals and thus curtailed the uptake of preventative measures (e.g., vaccine hesitancy) [43]. The willingness to accept unsupported claims as opposed to health care professionals' recommendations is suggestive of faulty reasoning, or at least a hampered ability to accurately evaluate available evidence.…”

Public Policy Measures to Increase Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Rate in Russia

“…Daniel von Wachter performed perhaps one of the most profound social analyses of COVID-19-related conspiracy theories and found that there should be a distinction between “ungrounded” conspiracy beliefs (e.g., SARS-CoV-2 is a special biological weapon) and “rational” conspiracy beliefs (i.e., the system of ideas and corresponding heath behavioral responses of a population) by means of which people try to find logic in administrative steps taken by authorities in the COVID-19 situation and explain them somehow [ 49 ]. Many researchers stress that COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs are spread like an infodemic because of social network communication [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. A considerable part of conspiracist ideas in different countries is devoted to COVID-19 vaccination and prevention measures associated with using QR (quick response) codes [ 60 , 61 , 62 ].…”

How Psychological Variables Maybe Correlated with Willingness to Get COVID-19 Vaccine: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study of Polish Novice Nurses

“…Vaccination has become even more important in suppressing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet these are cognitive, emotional and social processes that shape the public’s willingness to vaccinate. Vaccination raises many emotions, questions and concerns regarding, among other things, its effectiveness and impact on health [ 20 ]…”