Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out.
Racial identity and political partisanship have emerged as two important social correlates of hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. To examine the relationship of these factors with respondents' intention to vaccinate before the vaccine was available (November/December, 2020...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277043 |
| _version_ | 1797956101636882432 |
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| author | Ashley Fox Yongjin Choi Heather Lanthorn Kevin Croke |
| author_facet | Ashley Fox Yongjin Choi Heather Lanthorn Kevin Croke |
| author_sort | Ashley Fox |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Racial identity and political partisanship have emerged as two important social correlates of hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. To examine the relationship of these factors with respondents' intention to vaccinate before the vaccine was available (November/December, 2020), we employed a multi-method approach: a survey experiment that randomized a vaccine-promotion message focused on racial equity in vaccine targeting, stepwise regression to identify predictors of hesitancy, and qualitative analysis of open-ended survey questions that capture how respondents reason about vaccination intentions. Experimental manipulation of a racial equity vaccine promotion message via an online survey experiment had no effect on intention-to-vaccinate in the full sample or in racial, ethnic and partisan subsamples. Descriptively, we find heightened hesitancy among non-Hispanic Black respondents (OR = 1.82, p<0.01), Hispanics (OR = 1.37, p<0.05), Trump voters (OR = 1.74, p<0.01) and non-Voters/vote Other (OR = 1.50, p<0.01) compared with non-Hispanic White respondents and Biden voters. Lower trust in institutions, individualism and alternative media use accounted for heightened hesitancy in Trump voters, but not non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics. Older age and female gender identity also persistently predicted lower vaccine intentions. Qualitatively, we find that most hesitant responders wanted to 'wait-and-see,' driven by generalized concerns about the speed of vaccine development, and potential vaccine side-effects, but little mention of conspiracy theories. Identity appears to be an important driver of vaccinate hesitancy that is not fully explained by underlying socioeconomic or attitudinal factors; furthermore, hesitancy was not significantly affected by racial equity messages in this setting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:43:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-60d3495c1a8447258d8abd6154e9fdba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:43:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-60d3495c1a8447258d8abd6154e9fdba2023-01-11T05:31:54ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011712e027704310.1371/journal.pone.0277043Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out.Ashley FoxYongjin ChoiHeather LanthornKevin CrokeRacial identity and political partisanship have emerged as two important social correlates of hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. To examine the relationship of these factors with respondents' intention to vaccinate before the vaccine was available (November/December, 2020), we employed a multi-method approach: a survey experiment that randomized a vaccine-promotion message focused on racial equity in vaccine targeting, stepwise regression to identify predictors of hesitancy, and qualitative analysis of open-ended survey questions that capture how respondents reason about vaccination intentions. Experimental manipulation of a racial equity vaccine promotion message via an online survey experiment had no effect on intention-to-vaccinate in the full sample or in racial, ethnic and partisan subsamples. Descriptively, we find heightened hesitancy among non-Hispanic Black respondents (OR = 1.82, p<0.01), Hispanics (OR = 1.37, p<0.05), Trump voters (OR = 1.74, p<0.01) and non-Voters/vote Other (OR = 1.50, p<0.01) compared with non-Hispanic White respondents and Biden voters. Lower trust in institutions, individualism and alternative media use accounted for heightened hesitancy in Trump voters, but not non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics. Older age and female gender identity also persistently predicted lower vaccine intentions. Qualitatively, we find that most hesitant responders wanted to 'wait-and-see,' driven by generalized concerns about the speed of vaccine development, and potential vaccine side-effects, but little mention of conspiracy theories. Identity appears to be an important driver of vaccinate hesitancy that is not fully explained by underlying socioeconomic or attitudinal factors; furthermore, hesitancy was not significantly affected by racial equity messages in this setting.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277043 |
| spellingShingle | Ashley Fox Yongjin Choi Heather Lanthorn Kevin Croke Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out. PLoS ONE |
| title | Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out. |
| title_full | Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out. |
| title_fullStr | Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out. |
| title_short | Does highlighting COVID-19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions? evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in New York State prior to vaccine roll-out. |
| title_sort | does highlighting covid 19 disparities reduce or increase vaccine intentions evidence from a survey experiment in a diverse sample in new york state prior to vaccine roll out |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277043 |
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