Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination
Introduction: Hongkongers have had access to COVID-19 vaccines for about four months, but vaccination rate remains low (34.4% as of 4 July 2021). Given that vaccine uptake is vital, this study aimed to determine how vaccine-hesitant and vaccinated individuals differ. The study also examined why peop...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Vaccine: X |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136222000249 |
| _version_ | 1811219547740438528 |
|---|---|
| author | Stephanie Jean Tsang |
| author_facet | Stephanie Jean Tsang |
| author_sort | Stephanie Jean Tsang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Hongkongers have had access to COVID-19 vaccines for about four months, but vaccination rate remains low (34.4% as of 4 July 2021). Given that vaccine uptake is vital, this study aimed to determine how vaccine-hesitant and vaccinated individuals differ. The study also examined why people choose to delay vaccination (within 1 month, within 2 months, within 3 months, 3 months or more). Material and Methods: A population-based online survey (N = 1654) was conducted between 22 and 30 June 2021, a month after the Hong Kong government announced “Say no to vaccine hesitancy” on its website. All adults aged 18 years and older were eligible to take part. The survey included sociodemographic details, perceived susceptibility to infection, and perceived vaccine efficacy and risks. A series of analyses of covariance was performed to inspect differences among the groups and multiple regression analyses were done to examine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Results: With a vaccine hesitancy rate of 30.3%, analyses revealed that sociodemographic factors, party identification and self-reported health status had no effects on the degrees of vaccine hesitancy. While vaccine knowledge, perceived susceptibility to infection, and vaccine efficacy and safety were positive correlates of vaccine uptake, risks from vaccination and vaccine efficacy were positive correlates of vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: Hesitancy in Hong Kong is more about vaccine efficacy and safety, and less about infection risks. Specifically, respondents expressed concerns about the particular vaccines supplied, especially BioNTech’s efficacy and risks from Sinovac. While higher risk motivates longer preparation for vaccine uptake, higher levels of benefits from BioNTech could reduce hesitancy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T07:27:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a11b069d39440308c8b8e72356db41f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2590-1362 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T07:27:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccine: X |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a11b069d39440308c8b8e72356db41f2022-12-22T03:42:09ZengElsevierVaccine: X2590-13622022-08-0111100164Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccinationStephanie Jean Tsang0Address: Room 916, 9/F, Lee Shau Kee Communication and Visual Arts Building, Baptist University Road Campus, Hong Kong Baptist University, 5 Hereford Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.; Department of Communication Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong KongIntroduction: Hongkongers have had access to COVID-19 vaccines for about four months, but vaccination rate remains low (34.4% as of 4 July 2021). Given that vaccine uptake is vital, this study aimed to determine how vaccine-hesitant and vaccinated individuals differ. The study also examined why people choose to delay vaccination (within 1 month, within 2 months, within 3 months, 3 months or more). Material and Methods: A population-based online survey (N = 1654) was conducted between 22 and 30 June 2021, a month after the Hong Kong government announced “Say no to vaccine hesitancy” on its website. All adults aged 18 years and older were eligible to take part. The survey included sociodemographic details, perceived susceptibility to infection, and perceived vaccine efficacy and risks. A series of analyses of covariance was performed to inspect differences among the groups and multiple regression analyses were done to examine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Results: With a vaccine hesitancy rate of 30.3%, analyses revealed that sociodemographic factors, party identification and self-reported health status had no effects on the degrees of vaccine hesitancy. While vaccine knowledge, perceived susceptibility to infection, and vaccine efficacy and safety were positive correlates of vaccine uptake, risks from vaccination and vaccine efficacy were positive correlates of vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: Hesitancy in Hong Kong is more about vaccine efficacy and safety, and less about infection risks. Specifically, respondents expressed concerns about the particular vaccines supplied, especially BioNTech’s efficacy and risks from Sinovac. While higher risk motivates longer preparation for vaccine uptake, higher levels of benefits from BioNTech could reduce hesitancy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136222000249COVID-19VaccinesHesitancyRisks assessmentHong Kong |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie Jean Tsang Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination Vaccine: X COVID-19 Vaccines Hesitancy Risks assessment Hong Kong |
| title | Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination |
| title_full | Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination |
| title_fullStr | Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination |
| title_short | Predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong: Vaccine knowledge, risks from coronavirus, and risks and benefits of vaccination |
| title_sort | predicting covid 19 vaccine hesitancy in hong kong vaccine knowledge risks from coronavirus and risks and benefits of vaccination |
| topic | COVID-19 Vaccines Hesitancy Risks assessment Hong Kong |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136222000249 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stephaniejeantsang predictingcovid19vaccinehesitancyinhongkongvaccineknowledgerisksfromcoronavirusandrisksandbenefitsofvaccination |