Abstract

Despite world-level efforts and the endeavors of scientists and medical professionals in suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic, inadequate levels of vaccine literacy of the general population can represent a grave obstacle. The aim of this study was to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine literacy in the Croatian adult general population before vaccination began. The specific objectives were to test differences regarding socio-demographic characteristics and to examine perceptions and attitudes about vaccination against COVID-19 considering the level of VL against COVID-19. A cross-sectional study with a translated and psychometrically tested questionnaire was conducted in 1227 participants before the start of vaccination, from 15 to 31 January 2021. The results show a medium level of vaccine literacy (M = 2.37, SD = 0.54) and a significant difference between functional and interactive-critical vaccine literacy (p < 0.001). The level of vaccine literacy grew with the level of education (p = 0.031) and reduced with age (p < 0.001). Participants who were employed, had chronic diseases, took medicine, or consumed alcohol daily had a lower level of vaccine literacy. There is room for progress in the COVID-19 VL level for the adult population in Croatia, especially at the interactive-critical VL, which could have an important role in people accepting the vaccine against the COVID-19 disease. A satisfactory level of vaccine literacy in the population is necessary because it can contribute to the fight against the pandemic.

Highlights

  • The pandemic caused by the coronavirus is a major public health challenge that the world has recently confronted [1,2,3]

  • The participants had a mean level of COVID-19 vaccine literacy (VL) of 2.37 (SD = 0.54)

  • Comparing this research to the research done in Italy in June 2020, our participants had lower levels of both functional and interactive-critical VL, which can be explained by the fact that Croatia was affected by the pandemic sometime after Italy was [20], so the Croatian population had less information about, and less interest in, the COVID-19 virus

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Summary

Introduction

The pandemic caused by the coronavirus is a major public health challenge that the world has recently confronted [1,2,3]. As in other countries around the world [5,6], the need for immunization in Croatia is highly covered by the media. In addition to the adjustment and sensitization of the general population, the media could cause negative effects [7], since is true information provided, but false information is provided as well, which is a great threat to public health [8,9]. In this extraordinary period, besides health and economic systems, Int. J.

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