Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK household longitudinal study

Abstract

Vaccine hesitancy could undermine efforts to control COVID-19. We investigated the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK and identified vaccine hesitant subgroups. The ‘Understanding Society’ COVID-19 survey asked participants (n=12,035) their likelihood of vaccine uptake and reason for hesitancy. Cross-sectional analysis assessed vaccine hesitancy prevalence and logistic regression calculated odds ratios. Overall vaccine hesitancy was low (18% unlikely/very unlikely). Vaccine hesitancy was higher in women (21.0% vs 14.7%), younger age groups (26.5% in 16-24 year olds vs 4.5% in 75+) and those with lower education levels (18.6% no qualifications vs 13.2% degree qualified). Vaccine hesitancy was high in Black (71.8%) and Pakistani/Bangladeshi (42.3%) ethnic groups. Odds ratios for vaccine hesitancy were 13.42 (95% CI:6.86, 26.24) in Black and 2.54 (95% CI:1.19, 5.44) in Pakistani/Bangladeshi groups (compared to White British/Irish) and 3.54 (95%CI:2.06, 6.09) for people with no qualifications versus degree. Urgent action to address hesitancy is needed for some but not all ethnic minority groups.

COVID-19 vaccination acceptability in the UK at the start of the vaccination programme: a nationally representative cross-sectional survey (CoVAccS – wave 2)

“…Several previous studies have found that various socio-demographic factors are associated with COVID-19 vaccine intention such as age [5,30], gender [28,32] and ethnicity [7,32]. We did not find this in our study and it is not entirely clear why that might be.…”

Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy

“…Higher vaccine hesitancy is also reported among women (women 21%, men 15%), younger age groups (28% in 25-34 years, versus 14% in 55-64 years), and in people with a lower education level (24% in secondary school graduates; 13% in university graduates) 14. These data follow a historical trend in the UK of lower uptake of pneumococcal, influenza, rotavirus, and shingles vaccines among socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals161718 and ethnic minorities 1119.…”

“…In the UK, surveys have found variation in willingness to have a vaccine between ethnic groups. The UK Household Longitudinal survey asked 12 035 participants (in November 2020) “how likely or unlikely would you be to take the vaccine?” Overall only 18% of respondents were hesitant (answering unlikely or very unlikely), in contrast with high levels of hesitancy in people of Black ethnicity (72%) followed by South Asians of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage (both 42%), and mixed ethnicities (32%), though levels of vaccine hesitancy were comparable with White people in respondents of Chinese ethnicity 14. UK data (as of 11 March 2021) show lower vaccination rates (among those eligible for vaccination) in Black African and Black Caribbean (58.8% and 68.7%, respectively), Bangladeshi (72.7%), and Pakistani (74%) ethnic groups compared with White British (91.3%), and lower vaccination rates in people who live in more deprived areas (most deprived 87%, least deprived 92.1%) 15…”

“…Drivers of low confidence in covid-19 vaccination are listed in box 1. The ‘Understanding Society’ UK Household Longitudinal survey highlighted that the main reason for hesitancy was concerns about future unknown effects, with 42.7% of respondents specifying this 14. Less common reasons included those under the bracket of “other” (12.2%), worries about side effects (11.4%), concern that others are in more urgent need of the vaccine (7.7%), and lack of trust in vaccines (7.6%) 14.…”

“…The ‘Understanding Society’ UK Household Longitudinal survey highlighted that the main reason for hesitancy was concerns about future unknown effects, with 42.7% of respondents specifying this 14. Less common reasons included those under the bracket of “other” (12.2%), worries about side effects (11.4%), concern that others are in more urgent need of the vaccine (7.7%), and lack of trust in vaccines (7.6%) 14. However, the survey found that people of Black ethnicities were more likely to state that they “don’t trust vaccines” compared with White people (29.2% v 5.7%), and people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi ethnicities often cited concerns about vaccine side effects (35.4% v 8.6%) 14.…”