Vaccine Hesitancy Risk Factors and Distribution in an Endemic SARS-CoV-2 World – Georgia, USA Restricted; Files Only
Spence, Erica (Spring 2024)
Published
Abstract
Background: Widespread vaccination campaigns have saved countless lives; immunization led to a 92-100% decrease in childhood illness, the prevention of nearly 6 million annual deaths, and the savings of over $151 billion between societal and direct costs in the poorest countries. Despite the benefits of vaccination, vaccine hesitancy continues globally for a variety of reasons. In the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, vaccination itself has become polarized and vaccination rates are dropping, demonstrating a need to understand vaccine hesitancy and adapt messaging, education, and communication to populations where hesitancy remains the highest.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify social and demographic factor distribution among vaccine hesitant individuals in the state of Georgia post SARS-CoV-2. By identifying the current hesitancy types and their distributions, new education, communication, and interventions can be catered to high hesitancy populations, increasing the likelihood of vaccination, and decreasing the burden of vaccine preventable diseases.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based, survey of adults in the state of Georgia in December 2023 to identify social and demographic distributions of vaccine hesitancy. Data analysis of the four types of vaccine hesitancy includes: frequency of generalized hesitancy, operational (i.e. influenza vaccine receipt), hypothetical (i.e. Alzheimer’s Disease vaccine), and needle hesitancy across social and demographic variables. Bivariate analysis was conducted to determine significant difference among each variable. We used multivariable Poisson regression to model each type of hesitancy across all variables.
Results: 427 survey responses were collected. Among the four types of vaccine hesitancy assessed, generalized hesitancy was the highest (52.2%) and hypothetical hesitancy was the lowest (17.6%). Low access to, and poor trust in, one’s primary care provider were significantly associated with all types of vaccine hesitancy. Between bivariate and multivariate assessment, age, race, religion, marital status, urbanization, and income were all associated with at least one type of vaccine hesitancy.
Discussion: The distribution of vaccine hesitancy in Georgia shows that populations requiring additional intervention include those that are younger, black, or other/mixed race, part-time employed, single, non-denominational, or have low education attainment, among low influenza vaccine uptake, irregular primary care access, or reportedly poor health.
Table of Contents
Introduction.……………………………………………………………………………………….1
Hypotheses ………………………………………………………………………………………....3
Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………………………………….4
Literature Review ………………………………………………………………………………….5
Methods …………………………………………………………………………………………....31
Results …………………………………………………………………………………………......35
Discussion ………………………………………………………………………………………....38
Implications ……………………………………………………………………………………....42
Conclusion.………………………………………………………………………………………...43
Limitations ………………………………………………………………………………………...43
References ………………………………………………………………………………………....44
Appendix ………………………………………………………………………………………......53
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File download under embargo until 20 May 2026 | 2024-04-24 12:16:06 -0400 | File download under embargo until 20 May 2026 |
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