Role of literacy, fear and hesitancy on acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among village health volunteers in Thailand

Abstract

Background The roles of literacy, fear and hesitancy were investigated for acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine (AV) types among village health volunteers (VHVs) in Thailand. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using an unidentified online questionnaire to assess literacy, fear and hesitancy of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Thai VHVs between 1 and 15 October 2021. The questionnaire was developed based on the HLVa-IT (Health Literacy Vaccinale degli adulti in Italiano) for vaccine literacy (VL), using an adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS) for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (VH) and Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCoV-19S) for the distress of COVID-19 vaccine. The effects of VL, VH and vaccine fear (VF) on AV were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 5,312 VHVs completed the questionnaire. After adjustment with variables in the multivariable analysis, the VL score was insignificantly associated with increased vaccination (aOR = 1.002; (95%CI: 0.994–1.01)), while VF and VH significantly decreased the chance of vaccination, aOR = 0.966 (95%CI: 0.953–0.978) and aOR = 0.969; (95%CI: 0.960–0.979), respectively and VF and VH were negatively associated with AV for all types of vaccine preference, with VL showing a reverse relationship only for mRNA-based vaccines. Conclusion VL may not increase AV among VHVs. To increase attitudes toward receiving COVID-19 vaccination in Thailand, the government and health-related organizations should instigate policies to significantly reduce VF and VH among Thai VHVs.

COVID-19 vaccine literacy: A scoping review

“…No significant association between VL and eHL . Pairwise correlations Omidvar 55 2022 Iran, people > 18 y.s, 1564 , F 70% , mean Age 37,45 Cross-sectional web-based study May 2021 COVID-19 VLS 37.77 Summative score used Residency Vaccination Acceptance - Predictors of vaccine acceptance: risk perception, disease knowledge, trust in health system, attitude towards vaccination, VL (p < .001) Siewchaisakul 56 2022 Thailand; health volunteers 5312 F 84% Age: <40–60+ balanced between age groups Cross-sectional - online questionnaire September 2021 Three questions from the HLVa Scale VL score 2.92 Three VL items assessed Comorbidity, marital status, occupation, income, religion Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination assessed by a VA score based on 6 items Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCoV-19S), Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) VL not significantly associated with increased vaccine acceptance multivariable logistic regression Takahashi 57 2022 Japan , pregnant women and mothers of young children 7,32 , 1,639 pregnant 5,688 mothers Age 31.0–32.5 Cross-sectional internet survey July-August 2021 COVID-19 VLs Pregnant women VL Functional 2.62 ± 0.75 Inter-critical 2.76 ± 0.61 Mothers VL Functional VL 2.62 ± 0.77 Inter-critical VL 2.69 ± 0.62 Occupation, income, Infection prevention practices Vaccine hesitancy and vaccine uptake , selecting one of four options Communicative and Critical Health Literacy (CCHL) scale Vaccine hesitancy higher among pregnant women with lower interactive-critical skills and mothers with lower functional VL and lower interactive-critical VL (p < .001); two different latent factors Adjusted re...…”

Vaccine Literacy and Vaccination: A Systematic Review

“…The association between VL and increased COVID-19 vaccination among Thailand’s village health volunteers (VHVs) was not statistically significant ( 42 ). However, the study also evaluated the preferences of VHVs for COVID-19 vaccine types.…”

“…Only two research reports addressed potential causes of bias, such as the inclusion of control variables, methods to prevent respondents from responding more than once, and the exclusion of surveys that were finished more rapidly ( 32 , 36 ). Only five researchers conducted additional statistical analyses, including path analysis and others ( 23 , 30 , 32 , 38 , 42 ).…”

The effects of parent’s health literacy and health beliefs on vaccine hesitancy

“…According to the WHO, vaccine hesitancy is one of the top ten threats to global health [13] , which was defined as ‘delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite availability of vaccination services’ [14] . With high vaccine hesitancy, people may refuse or delay vaccinations for themselves or their children [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] , which exposed them to greater risks of infection. According to the “7C” theoretical framework, vaccine hesitancy is related to people’s confidence, complacency, convenience, risk calculation, and collective responsibility, conspiracy, and compliance [19] .…”