Abstract
Objectives: Hesitance and resistance to COVID-19 vaccination poses a serious challenge to achieving adequate vaccine uptake in the general population. Cross-sectional data from the early months of the pandemic indicates that approximately one-third of adults in multiple nations are hesitant or resistant to a vaccine for COVID-19. Using longitudinal data, we tracked changes in attitudes to COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic.
Study Design: A quantitative, longitudinal design.
Method: Nationally representative samples of the adult general population of the Republic of Ireland (N = 1,041) and the United Kingdom (N = 2,025) were assessed for their attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination at three points from March to August 2020.
Results: Statistically significant increases in resistance to COVID-19 vaccination were observed in Irish (from 9.5% to 18.1%) and British (6.2% to 10%) adults.
Conclusion: Resistance to vaccination has significantly increased in two European nations as the pandemic has progressed. Growing resistance to COVID-19 vaccination will pose a challenge to public health officials responsible for ensuring sufficient vaccine coverage.
Study Design: A quantitative, longitudinal design.
Method: Nationally representative samples of the adult general population of the Republic of Ireland (N = 1,041) and the United Kingdom (N = 2,025) were assessed for their attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination at three points from March to August 2020.
Results: Statistically significant increases in resistance to COVID-19 vaccination were observed in Irish (from 9.5% to 18.1%) and British (6.2% to 10%) adults.
Conclusion: Resistance to vaccination has significantly increased in two European nations as the pandemic has progressed. Growing resistance to COVID-19 vaccination will pose a challenge to public health officials responsible for ensuring sufficient vaccine coverage.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 54-56 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Public Health |
Volume | 195 |
Early online date | 27 Apr 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - 30 Jun 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was partly funded by the Economic and Social Research Council ( ES/V004379/1 ) to R.P.B.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Adult
- COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage
- COVID-19/prevention & control
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Ethnicity
- Humans
- Ireland
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Pandemics/prevention & control
- Public Health
- SARS-CoV-2
- United Kingdom
- Vaccination Refusal
- Vaccination/psychology