Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/36556
Title: Individual factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in between and during pandemic waves (July–December 2020)
Authors: Valckx, Sara
CREVECOEUR, Jonas 
Verelst, Frederik
VRANCKX, Maren 
Hendrickx, Greet
HENS, Niel 
Van Damme , Pierre
Pepermans, Koen
Beutels, Philippe
NEYENS, Thomas 
Issue Date: 2022
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Source: VACCINE, 40 (1) , p. 151 -161
Abstract: Background: A year after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the global rollout of vaccines gives us hope of ending the pandemic. Lack of vaccine confidence, however, poses a threat to vaccination campaigns. This study aims at identifying individuals' characteristics that explain vaccine willingness in Flanders (Belgium), while also describing trends over time (July-December 2020). Methods: The analysis included data of 10 survey waves of the Great Corona Survey, a large-scale online survey that was open to the general public and had 17,722-32,219 respondents per wave. Uni-and multivariable general additive models were fitted to associate vaccine willingness with socio-demographic and behavioral variables, while correcting for temporal and geographical variability. Results: We found 84.2% of the respondents willing to be vaccinated, i.e., respondents answering that they were definitely (61.2%) or probably (23.0%) willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine, while 9.8% indicated maybe, 3.9% probably not and 2.2% definitely not. In Flanders, vaccine willingness was highest in July 2020 (90.0%), decreased over the summer period to 80.2% and started to increase again from late September, reaching 85.9% at the end of December 2020. Vaccine willingness was significantly associated with respondents' characteristics: previous survey participation, age, gender, province, educational attainment, household size, financial situation, employment sector, underlying medical conditions, mental well-being, government trust, knowing someone with severe COVID-19 symptoms and compliance with restrictive measures. These variables could explain much, but not all, variation in vaccine willingness. Conclusions: Both the timing and location of data collection influence vaccine willingness results, emphasizing that comparing data from different regions, countries and/or timepoints should be done with caution. To maximize COVID-19 vaccination coverage, vaccination campaigns should focus on (a combination of) subpopulations: aged 31-50, females, low educational attainment, large households, difficult financial situation, low mental well-being and labourers, unemployed and self-employed citizens. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Notes: Valckx, S (corresponding author), Univ Antwerp, Univ Pl 1,DS2-51, BE-2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
sara.valckx@uantwerpen.be; jonas.crevecoeur@kuleuven.be;
frederik.Verelst@uantwerpen.be; maren.vranckx@uhasselt.be;
greet.hendrickx@uantwerpen.be; niel.hens@uantwerpen.be;
pierre.vandamme@uantwerpen.be; koen.pepermans@uantwerpen.be;
philippe.beutels@uantwerpen.be; thomas.neyens@uhasselt.be
Keywords: Vaccine willingness;Vaccine hesitancy;Trust;COVID-19;Socio-demographics;Online survey
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/36556
ISSN: 0264-410X
e-ISSN: 1873-2518
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.10.073
ISI #: WOS:000731299800022
Rights: 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Category: A1
Type: Journal Contribution
Validations: ecoom 2023
Appears in Collections:Research publications

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