The choice of Taiwanese college students to vaccinate against severe special infectious pneumonia COVID-19 based on the integrated theory of planning behavior

Abstract

ABSTRACT Taiwan’s coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine procurement was delayed until October 2021. With the vaccine’s introduction in Taiwan, the public will have an opportunity to choose vaccination. Choosing to vaccinate involves considerations regarding the trade-off between the protective power of the vaccine and its side effects, which is a planned behavior. College students have considered high-risk objects for COVID-19 outbreaks given their lifestyle, and their efficient vaccination may help reduce mutual infection between college students and the general public. This study obtained 707 valid questionnaires from Taiwan college students (20 years old and above). We investigated several factors during our college students’ survey regarding vaccination. Among this integrated TPB model, “Attitude,” “Subjective Norm,” “Perceived Behavioral Control,” and “COVID-19 Information Asymmetry” had a positive impact on vaccination “Behavioral Intention.” COVID-19 information asymmetry positively and significantly affected behavioral intention through perceived behavioral control, while perceived behavioral control had a mediating effect. To promote the behavioral intention of college students to choose COVID-19 vaccination, public and private departments for epidemic prevention must aim to overcome the self-efficacy barriers of perceived behavioral control and promote the primary group influence effect of subjective norm and the self-interest factor of attitude. Governments and NGOs should also ensure prompt and accurate transmission of epidemic and vaccine information and actively investigate and prohibit misleading details from unknown sources and no scientific basis. Such a policy will generate trust, effectively increasing the vaccination rate and reducing cluster infection.