Young women are significantly less likely to say they would accept a Covid-19 vaccine, according to new research carried out by NUI Galway as part of a joint Irish-UK project.
The vaccine hesitancy study, carried out by researchers at NUI Galway in collaboration with University of Huddersfield, England, canvassed the views of 1,000 people online in Ireland and the UK, recording their attitudes and intentions in relation to Covid-19 vaccination programmes.
The research found that 75 per cent of participants in the survey intend to get a Covid-19 vaccine; 11 per cent said they would not; and 14 per cent were unsure.
Women and younger people were significantly less likely to report intention to avail of a Covid-19 vaccine, with fewer than 70 per cent of women under the age of 30 indicating they would, and 20 per cent voicing high levels of uncertainty.
Civic responsibility
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Findings from the research are to be presented this month to the behavioural change subgroup which advises the Government’s National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet ).
According to Dr Jane Walsh, senior lecturer in psychology and director of the Mobile Technology and Health (mHealth ) Research Group at NUI Galway, understanding vaccine hesitancy is key to addressing public concerns, promoting confidence, and increasing vaccine uptake.
“It is possible that one of the reasons behind young women’s reluctance to signal an intention to get a Covid-19 vaccine is related to issues around fertility and this warrants further investigation,” Dr Walsh said.
'We can shift attitudes and intentions to Covid-19 vaccine from ‘unsure’ to ‘yes’ if public health campaigns provide clear messages about the benefits'
The survey revealed that peer influences are strongly associated with young women’s intentions on vaccination.
“This influence was particularly strong in the ‘no’ and ‘unsure’ group,” Dr Walsh revealed. “These findings suggest that messages that are channelled through relevant social influencers may have a significant impact on vaccine uptake. It is also concerning that those who vote ‘no’ to the vaccine have a lower sense of civic responsibility. But what is clear, in general, is that there is still a high level of uncertainty around Covid-19 vaccination.”
Trust in authorities
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To date, there have been more than 250,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, while more than 1.1 million people have had a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. In the UK there have been more than 4.4 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 and more than 34 million people have had a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
The study also found that people were more likely to signal intention to get a vaccine if they had a higher trust in authorities; high satisfaction with government response to the pandemic; and if they were more likely to adhere to public health guidelines in general.
Messaging
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The research team cautioned that positive attitudes towards vaccination are far less likely to be driven by fear messaging, but rather by developing a stronger message of trust in the Government and authorities.
Dr Susie Kola-Palmer, University of Huddersfield, co-leader on the research project, said: “We can shift attitudes and intentions to Covid-19 vaccine from ‘unsure’ to ‘yes’ if public health campaigns provide clear messages about the benefits, as well as clear information on the low risks associated with having the vaccine, and promote a positive sense of civic responsibility.
“Trust in authorities is a significant barrier among people who have no intention of being vaccinated,” she added. “Public health experts and governments should consider strategies to address this. Personalised messaging needs to be targeted at young people, and women in particular, to address their concerns. And it needs to be made a priority.”
