Trusted Sources of COVID-19 Vaccine Information among Hesitant Adopters in the United States

Abstract

The World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as a top health concern. Emerging research shows that those who are hesitant may still get vaccinated; however, little is known about those who say they are hesitant but still get vaccinated. Most people have high trust in several sources of COVID-19 information, and trust in certain information sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health care providers was associated with being vaccinated. This study explored trusted information sources among hesitant adopters in the United States with a survey respondents completed while waiting after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine dose. The study included (n = 867) respondents. The majority of respondents were female (60.21%); were between the ages of 18 and 44 years old (71.97%); and were diverse, with most identifying as White (44.54%) or Hispanic/Latinx (32.55%). Hesitant adopters reported multiple trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information, which can be grouped into four emergent subthemes: (1) Health care/Medical science, (2) Personal relationships, (3) News and social media, and (4) Individual/Myself. Some respondents expressed a distrust of all sources of COVID-19 vaccine information, despite receiving the vaccine, describing a lack of trust in traditional sources of information such as the mainstream media or government. This study contributes to the literature by documenting trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information among hesitant adopters in the United States. Findings provide important insights about respondents’ trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information that can inform future public health messaging campaigns intended to increase vaccine uptake among hesitant adopters.

Perceptions and attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccines: narratives from members of the UK public

“…Some participants also described traditional media outlets, such as newspapers and national television as another highly trusted source of information. Other studies (Boyle et al 2021 ; Purvis et al 2021 ; Latkin et al 2021 ), however, suggest that news media are seen as less trustworthy when compared to other sources of information about Covid-19 vaccines. Medical and scientific journals were also considered by some participants as a trustworthy and reliable source of information which links to trust in science and scientists (Sturgis et al 2021 ; Latkin et al 2021 ; Purvis et al 2021 ).…”

“…Other studies (Boyle et al 2021 ; Purvis et al 2021 ; Latkin et al 2021 ), however, suggest that news media are seen as less trustworthy when compared to other sources of information about Covid-19 vaccines. Medical and scientific journals were also considered by some participants as a trustworthy and reliable source of information which links to trust in science and scientists (Sturgis et al 2021 ; Latkin et al 2021 ; Purvis et al 2021 ). Some participants also reported that friends and family members, especially those who already received the vaccine and those who work in the medical sector, were a valuable and trusted source of information on Covid-19 vaccines.…”

A Qualitative Study Regarding Messages of the COVID-19 Vaccine from Vaccinated Healthcare Providers and Healthy Adults

“…It has been reported that information from healthcare providers and people close to the target patients have more influence on health behavior than information from the media or the Internet [7]. And those who were hesitant to get vaccinated but did get vaccinated trusted information from healthcare providers and people close to them, such as family members[6]. By sharing the experience after vaccination, the other person who hears about it can gain a sense of security.…”

“…On the other hand, a previous report explained that person-to-person communication was more effective in influencing health behaviors [7]. In addition, information from family members and close friends are very trustworthy because of their strong relationship [6,8]. This can be explained by the interpersonal communication theory.…”

“…In order to promote the vaccination, the Japanese government has provided the public with information through websites and TV commercials to aid decision-making on whether to vaccinate based on a comprehensive consideration of risks and benefits [2]. The reliability of information sources is a very important aspect; information from the Internet have been unreliable due to insufficient or incorrect information [5], and have influenced some people to not trust the information from the government or media, particularly those hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine [6]. On the other hand, a previous report explained that person-to-person communication was more effective in influencing health behaviors [7].…”