Abstract
The current study aims to identify psychosocial factors based on protection motivation theory (PMT) influencing Chinese adults’ willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after the emergency use authorization of the New Coronavirus Inactivated Vaccine in China. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Chinese residents aged 18–59 years, and 2528 respondents from 31 provinces and autonomous regions were included in the current study. Based on PMT, threat appraisals and coping appraisals were measured. Hierarchical multiple regressions and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify the relationships between the PMT constructs and vaccination willingness after other covariates were controlled for. A total of 1411 (55.8%) respondents reported being willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The PMT model explained 26.6% (p < 0.001) of the variance in the vaccine willingness. The coping appraisals, including response efficacy, self-efficacy, and response costs, were significantly correlated with the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and response efficacy was the strongest influencing factor (adjusted OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 2.42–3.54). In conclusion, the coping appraisals for vaccination, instead of threat appraisals regarding the pandemic itself, mainly influenced people’s willingness to get vaccinated after the emergency use authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine in China. These findings are helpful for developing education and interventions to promote vaccination willingness and enhance public health outcomes during a pandemic.
Highlights
The world is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
As of 8 June 2021, at least 13 different vaccines across four platforms have been administered in countries, and 7 vaccines have been listed for the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL) [2]
The results showed a 55.8% “willing” rate of getting vaccinated in the early stage of the COVID-19 vaccine approval for emergency use
Summary
The world is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 8 June 2021, more than 173 million cases of COVID-19 infections and more than 3 million deaths had been reported globally [1]. Vaccination is a pivotal means to help prevent COVID-19 and subsequent death and to control the spread of this pandemic. As of 8 June 2021, at least 13 different vaccines across four platforms have been administered in countries, and 7 vaccines have been listed for the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL) [2]. The inadequate use of the vaccine can become a public health issue, as declining vaccination rates at the population level could lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality from diseases that are vaccine-preventable [4,5]. Understanding the determinants of the willingness to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine is necessary, especially in the early stage of vaccine approval, to inform future vaccination programs and campaigns and to increase the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in China
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