tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Age Ageing
. 2022 Mar 1;51(3):afac013.
doi: 10.1093/ageing/afac013.
Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in older Portuguese adults
Tânia Magalhães Silva[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marta Estrela[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Vítor Roque[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eva Rebelo Gomes[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Adolfo Figueiras[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Fátima Roque[SUP] 2 6 [/SUP], Maria Teresa Herdeiro[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has become a public-health emergency of international concern. Most efforts to contain the spread and transmission of the virus rely on campaigns and interventions targeted to reduce Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal (VHR).
Objective: this study aims to assess the major factors associated with VHR in the older population in Portugal.
Methods: a nation-wide cross-sectional study was conducted in the older Portuguese population (≥65 years old) through computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the independent variables (perceptions, knowledge and attitudes) and of the outcome (VHR).
Results: the response rate was 60.1% (602/1,001). Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes were strongly associated with VHR probability. A 1-point Likert scale increase in concerns about the vaccines' efficacy and safety increased the risk of VHR by 1.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-6.28) and 3.13 (95%CI: 2.08-8.22), respectively. A reduction of VHR probability for 'reliability of the information released by social media' (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.16-0.70) and for 'trust in national and international competent authorities' (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.17-0.69) is also observed per 1-point increase.
Conclusions: as VHR seems to be strongly associated with perceptions, knowledge and attitudes, the design and promotion of vaccination campaigns/educational interventions specifically targeted at changing these potentially modifiable determinants may help to tackle COVID-19 VHR and achieve a wider vaccine coverage.
Keywords: COVID-19; Portugal; hesitancy; older adults; older people; vaccination.
. 2022 Mar 1;51(3):afac013.
doi: 10.1093/ageing/afac013.
Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in older Portuguese adults
Tânia Magalhães Silva[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marta Estrela[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Vítor Roque[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eva Rebelo Gomes[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Adolfo Figueiras[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Fátima Roque[SUP] 2 6 [/SUP], Maria Teresa Herdeiro[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35258520
- DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac013
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has become a public-health emergency of international concern. Most efforts to contain the spread and transmission of the virus rely on campaigns and interventions targeted to reduce Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal (VHR).
Objective: this study aims to assess the major factors associated with VHR in the older population in Portugal.
Methods: a nation-wide cross-sectional study was conducted in the older Portuguese population (≥65 years old) through computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the independent variables (perceptions, knowledge and attitudes) and of the outcome (VHR).
Results: the response rate was 60.1% (602/1,001). Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes were strongly associated with VHR probability. A 1-point Likert scale increase in concerns about the vaccines' efficacy and safety increased the risk of VHR by 1.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-6.28) and 3.13 (95%CI: 2.08-8.22), respectively. A reduction of VHR probability for 'reliability of the information released by social media' (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.16-0.70) and for 'trust in national and international competent authorities' (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.17-0.69) is also observed per 1-point increase.
Conclusions: as VHR seems to be strongly associated with perceptions, knowledge and attitudes, the design and promotion of vaccination campaigns/educational interventions specifically targeted at changing these potentially modifiable determinants may help to tackle COVID-19 VHR and achieve a wider vaccine coverage.
Keywords: COVID-19; Portugal; hesitancy; older adults; older people; vaccination.