Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors
Background: Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is essential to control the pandemic. Estimates of unwillingness and uncertainty toward COVID-19 vaccination and factors associated with it remain unclear among adults in Puerto Rico (PR). Objective: To examine factors associated with uncertainty a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2021.1938921 |
| _version_ | 1827807064088379392 |
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| author | Andrea López-Cepero Stephanie Cameron Lyz E. Negrón Vivian Colón-López Uriyoán Colón-Ramos Josiemer Mattei Emma Fernández-Repollet Cynthia M. Pérez |
| author_facet | Andrea López-Cepero Stephanie Cameron Lyz E. Negrón Vivian Colón-López Uriyoán Colón-Ramos Josiemer Mattei Emma Fernández-Repollet Cynthia M. Pérez |
| author_sort | Andrea López-Cepero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is essential to control the pandemic. Estimates of unwillingness and uncertainty toward COVID-19 vaccination and factors associated with it remain unclear among adults in Puerto Rico (PR). Objective: To examine factors associated with uncertainty and unwillingness of COVID-19 vaccination among adults in PR. Methods: The Health Belief Model was used to develop an online survey. Analyses included adjusted logistic regressions (aOR). A total of 1,911 adults completed the survey from December 2020 to February 2021. Results: Overall, 76.2% were females, 33.7% were aged 50 or older, and 82.7% reported an intent to get vaccinated. Individuals who did not perceive that their chances of getting COVID-19 were high (aOR = 2.94; 95%CI = 2.24–3.86), that getting COVID-19 was not a possibility for them (aOR = 2.86; 95%CI = 2.19–3.74), or unafraid of getting COVID-19 (aOR = 3.80; 95%CI = 2.76–5.23) had higher odds of uncertainty and unwillingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Participants who perceived that COVID-19 complications were not serious also had higher odds of uncertainty and unwillingness (aOR = 7.50; 95%CI = 3.94–14.3), whereas those who did not perceive that they would get very sick with COVID-19 had 89% increased odds. Those who agreed that they would only take the vaccine if many individuals took it had higher odds of uncertainty and unwillingness (aOR = 3.32; 95%CI = 2.49–4.43). The most reported reasons for uncertainty and unwillingness toward COVID-19 vaccination were vaccine safety (63.8%), efficacy (49.4%), and novelty (45.5%). Discussion: Although COVID-19 vaccination intent was high, the study highlights concern over vaccine safety and efficacy that should be addressed by public health campaigns and interventions to enhance vaccine uptake. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:51:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a19781fce3e0438caf21f4e56b58a5a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2164-5515 2164-554X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:51:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a19781fce3e0438caf21f4e56b58a5a62023-09-26T08:59:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHuman Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics2164-55152164-554X2021-10-0117103441344910.1080/21645515.2021.19389211938921Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviorsAndrea López-Cepero0Stephanie Cameron1Lyz E. Negrón2Vivian Colón-López3Uriyoán Colón-Ramos4Josiemer Mattei5Emma Fernández-Repollet6Cynthia M. Pérez7Harvard UniversityUniversity of Puerto Rico-CayeyUniversity of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusUniversity of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusGeorge Washington UniversityHarvard UniversityUniversity of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusUniversity of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusBackground: Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is essential to control the pandemic. Estimates of unwillingness and uncertainty toward COVID-19 vaccination and factors associated with it remain unclear among adults in Puerto Rico (PR). Objective: To examine factors associated with uncertainty and unwillingness of COVID-19 vaccination among adults in PR. Methods: The Health Belief Model was used to develop an online survey. Analyses included adjusted logistic regressions (aOR). A total of 1,911 adults completed the survey from December 2020 to February 2021. Results: Overall, 76.2% were females, 33.7% were aged 50 or older, and 82.7% reported an intent to get vaccinated. Individuals who did not perceive that their chances of getting COVID-19 were high (aOR = 2.94; 95%CI = 2.24–3.86), that getting COVID-19 was not a possibility for them (aOR = 2.86; 95%CI = 2.19–3.74), or unafraid of getting COVID-19 (aOR = 3.80; 95%CI = 2.76–5.23) had higher odds of uncertainty and unwillingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Participants who perceived that COVID-19 complications were not serious also had higher odds of uncertainty and unwillingness (aOR = 7.50; 95%CI = 3.94–14.3), whereas those who did not perceive that they would get very sick with COVID-19 had 89% increased odds. Those who agreed that they would only take the vaccine if many individuals took it had higher odds of uncertainty and unwillingness (aOR = 3.32; 95%CI = 2.49–4.43). The most reported reasons for uncertainty and unwillingness toward COVID-19 vaccination were vaccine safety (63.8%), efficacy (49.4%), and novelty (45.5%). Discussion: Although COVID-19 vaccination intent was high, the study highlights concern over vaccine safety and efficacy that should be addressed by public health campaigns and interventions to enhance vaccine uptake.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2021.1938921covid-19vaccinationintentionhealth belief modelpuerto rico |
| spellingShingle | Andrea López-Cepero Stephanie Cameron Lyz E. Negrón Vivian Colón-López Uriyoán Colón-Ramos Josiemer Mattei Emma Fernández-Repollet Cynthia M. Pérez Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics covid-19 vaccination intention health belief model puerto rico |
| title | Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors |
| title_full | Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors |
| title_fullStr | Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors |
| title_short | Uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in adults residing in Puerto Rico: Assessment of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors |
| title_sort | uncertainty and unwillingness to receive a covid 19 vaccine in adults residing in puerto rico assessment of perceptions attitudes and behaviors |
| topic | covid-19 vaccination intention health belief model puerto rico |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2021.1938921 |
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