Role of Vaccine Hesitancy, eHealth Literacy, and Vaccine Literacy in Young Adults' COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Intention in a Lower-Middle-Income Country.

Rima Nath,Shobod Deba Nath,Emran Hasan,Asif Imtiaz

doi:10.3390/vaccines9121405

Abstract

Various control measures, including vaccination, have been taken to flatten the COVID-19 epidemic curve across the globe. However, in Bangladesh, many young adults, considered the asymptomatic transmitter of the disease, are waiting to get their first shot. Therefore, the potential predictors of the young adults’ vaccine uptake intention are significant to ensure their maximum vaccination when available to them. This study examined how vaccine hesitancy, eHealth literacy, and vaccine literacy are associated with young adults’ COVID-19 vaccine uptake intention in a lower-middle-income country. A total of 343 young adults participated in the study. Using ordinary least square and probit estimation, we examined the effect of the explanatory variables of interest on vaccine uptake intention. Vaccine hesitancy emerged as the strongest predictor of vaccine uptake intention. eHealth literacy shared a positive association with vaccine uptake intention, while vaccine literacy had no significant association. To make young adults feel more confident about the vaccine, transmitting the latest vaccine safety updates through authentic channels is essential. The government can aim to enhance the eHealth literacy of young adults as an increased level of eHealth literacy will enable young adults to extract reliable health-related information more efficiently than ever.

Highlights

The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed the health system in countries ranging from Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMICs) to High-Income countries (HIC) [1,2,3].During the early stages of the pandemic, lack of immunization and the absence of specific treatment prompted the implementation of non-pharmaceutic interventions, including handwashing, social distancing, and lockdown/movement restrictions to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus [4,5,6]
To address the research gap involving young adults’ vaccine uptake intention (VUI) in any LMIC, we aimed to explore the association of vaccine hesitancy, eHealth literacy, and vaccine literacy on VUI of young adults in Bangladesh
The study aimed to explore the effect of vaccine hesitancy, eHealth literacy, and vaccine literacy on COVID-19 VUI among young adults in Bangladesh

Summary

Introduction

During the early stages of the pandemic, lack of immunization and the absence of specific treatment prompted the implementation of non-pharmaceutic interventions, including handwashing, social distancing, and lockdown/movement restrictions to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus [4,5,6]. Implementation of these mitigation measures, in turn, impacted the livelihoods of the people, especially the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized people. The necessity of studying the demand-side factors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake intention (VUI) is necessary

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