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COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Unvaccinated Adults: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Analysis of Vaccination Intentions in Italy Related to Fear of Infection

Authors :
Olivia Curzio
Liliana Cori
Fabrizio Bianchi
Federica Prinelli
Massimo Galli
Andrea Giacomelli
Maria Cristina Imiotti
Nithiya Jesuthasan
Virginia Recchia
Fulvio Adorni
Source :
Vaccines, Vol 11, Iss 12, p 1790 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

From the initial COVID-19 outbreak, Italy was the first Western country to be seriously affected by the pandemic. Understanding vaccine hesitancy can help efforts to achieve broad vaccination coverage. The objectives of this research were to determine the extent of vaccine hesitancy in Italy and to understand the characteristics of those segments of the population with some hesitancy. Between January and February 2021, 41,473 subjects answered the second questionnaire delivered in phase II of the web-based EPICOVID19 survey. Among the included adult volunteers living in Italy, 4653 (11.2%) reported having previously received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In the sample of 36,820 respondents, all not vaccinated (age 51.1 ± 13.5; 59.7% female; 63.6% high level of education), the comparison between hesitant and inclined participants was accompanied by percentages and odds ratios. A total of 2449 individuals were hesitant (6.7% of the unvaccinated ones). Hesitancy was higher among women (OR = 1.48; 95%CI: 1.36–1.62); it was highest in the 50–59 and 40–49 age groups and among those with a lower educational level. A higher level of education was associated with a lower proportion of hesitancy (5.54%) compared with 9.44% among respondents with a low level of education (OR = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.46–0.68). Hesitancy was most common in subjects who did not report fear of infection (12.4%, OR = 4.0; 95%CI: 3.46–4.61). The results can guide the design of tailored information and communication campaigns through considering objective and subjective characteristics.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2076393X
Volume :
11
Issue :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Vaccines
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.2cc860a30d34e608c3552298f192304
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11121790