The Predictive Role of Vaccine Literacy and Vaccine Hesitancy on Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination

Vaccination is preventive behavior, and vaccine literacy and hesitancy appear to influence vaccination. The aim of this study was to determine the role of vaccine literacy and hesitancy on the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In this cross-sectional study, 2185 residents over 18 years old in urban and rural health centers in three cities of Dashtestan, Dashti, and Kangan were selected through multi-stage sampling and studied online in 2021. The questionnaire included five sections of demographic factors, the questionnaire of vaccine hesitancy, and literacy, attitudes toward the vaccine, and vaccine acceptance. Data were analyzed in SPSS software version 22.

The participants’ mean age was 34.1 ±11.01 years. Out of 2185 participants in the study, 1417 (64.6%) wanted to receive the vaccine. The mean and standard deviation of functional and critical literacy were 11.2±3.08 and 24.81±5.2, respectively. The mean and standard deviation of the vaccine hesitancy was 14.9±4.2. The results of the study showed that most of the vaccine recipients were men (P= 0.013), people with higher education (P=0.009), and divorced or single individuals (P=0.044). Age was significantly related to vaccine acceptance (P<0.001). Critical literacy, attitude toward vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy were significantly related to vaccine acceptance (P<0.001). Based on the logistic regression model, attitude toward the vaccine (P<0.001, Exp(B)=1.095), vaccine hesitancy (P<0.001, Exp(B)=0.846), age (P=0.030, Exp(B)=1.012), and married status (P=0.007) were predictors of vaccine acceptance. Based on married status, married persons had a lower chance of vaccine acceptance than single persons.

Based on the results of the study, in order to improve vaccine acceptance, vaccine hesitancy should be alleviated and a positive attitude toward the vaccine should be created, especially in married and young people. In this regard, providing information to increase vaccine literacy will not have much effect on increasing vaccine acceptance.