Personality Traits Influence on Perception and Hesitancy Towards COVID-19 Vaccination Among Tertiary Care Dental Hospital in Delhi: A Cross-Section Study.

Abstract

Background In the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination is recognized as a global public-health goal for preventing, containing, and stopping transmission. But the reluctance of people to receive safe and recommended available vaccines (i.e., vaccine hesitancy) was a growing concern. One of the key elements that influence how people are perceived and their reluctance to get the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be personality traits. Hence, the aim of the study was to assess the influence of personality traits on perception and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination among patients attending tertiary dental care hospitals in Delhi. Methodology A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among a sample of 322 participants aged 15-70 years attending the outpatient department of a public sector tertiary care dental hospital in New Delhi. Data was collected over a two-month period using a validated self-administered questionnaire which recorded demographic variables, individual perceptions, hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination, and personality traits [using 20-item mini international personality item pool (IPIP)]. Descriptive analysis followed by a Chi-square test and correlation test was applied. Results A total of 322 participants were contacted among which 300 participants (93%) responded which comprised 157 males (52.3%) and 143 females (47.7%). Dominant agreeableness personality shows a statistically significant positive correlation with individual perception (r=0.124, p=0.032) while a negative correlation with vaccine hesitancy (r= -0.146, p= 0.011). Among reasons for vaccine hesitancy, fear of side effects showed a significant association with personality traits (p= 0.018). Conclusion This study concluded that personality trait (dominant agreeableness) was an important factor in shaping individual perception and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination.