Psychological Determinants in Resistance to COVID-19 Vaccine Injection: A Systematic Review Study

Abstract

Context: In order to succeed in reducing the prevalence and treatment of preventable diseases through vaccines, immunization programs should be accompanied by the national vaccination process. Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the psychological factors determining resistance to the injection of the COVID-19 vaccine. Data Sources: In this systematic review study, the keywords resistance, hesitancy, epidemic, vaccine, psychological determinants, anxiety, and stress in the titles and abstracts of articles published in 2020 (June) and 2022 (May) in reputable international scientific databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and ISI were searched. Results: Studies have shown that women of young age, low education, people with conspiratorial and paranoid thoughts, poor cognitive processing and decision-making, and people with depression, fear, and anxiety were highly resistant to the COVID-19 vaccine. In contrast, vaccine safety and efficacy levels, confidence, collective responsibility, and media literacy were associated with accepting the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: According to studies, a significant number of people around the world are resistant to the vaccine. Since psychological factors such as anxiety, fear, and paranoid thoughts play an important role in people's resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine, improving health literacy and psychological health is essential.