Abstract
BackgroundMany efforts are being made around the world to discover the vaccine against COVID-19. After discovering the vaccine, its acceptance by individuals is a fundamental issue for disease control. This study aimed to examine COVID-19 vaccination intention determinants based on the protection motivation theory (PMT).MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in the Iranian adult population and surveyed 256 study participants from the first to the 30th of June 2020 with a web-based self-administered questionnaire. We used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the interrelationship between COVID-19 vaccination intention and perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived response efficacy.ResultsSEM showed that perceived severity to COVID-19 (β = .17, p < .001), perceived self-efficacy about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine (β = .26, p < .001), and the perceived response efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine (β = .70, p < .001) were significant predictors of vaccination intention. PMT accounted for 61.5% of the variance in intention to COVID-19 vaccination, and perceived response efficacy was the strongest predictor of COVID-19 vaccination intention.ConclusionsThis study found the PMT constructs are useful in predicting COVID-19 vaccination intention. Programs designed to increase the vaccination rate after discovering the COVID-19 vaccine can include interventions on the severity of the COVID-19, the self-efficacy of individuals receiving the vaccine, and the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing infection.
Highlights
Many efforts are being made around the world to discover the vaccine against COVID-19
Evidence shows that the rate of influenza vaccination is low in Asian populations [7], and this rate in Iran is much lower than expected by the World Health Organization [8]; Iran is one of the countries that announced the highest agreement on the importance of the vaccine [9]
This study aimed to investigate the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination intention using the protection motivation theory (PMT) in the Iranian population
Summary
Many efforts are being made around the world to discover the vaccine against COVID-19. Evidence shows that the rate of influenza vaccination is low in Asian populations [7], and this rate in Iran is much lower than expected by the World Health Organization [8]; Iran is one of the countries that announced the highest agreement on the importance of the vaccine [9]. Factors affecting COVID-19 vaccination acceptance may be as important as the discovery of the vaccine [12]. The theory of protection motivation (PMT) is one of the most recognized expectancy-value theories that explain the effects of fear appeals on attitude change [15]. Fear appeals when messages contain a description of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and expressions of response efficacy can positively affect individuals’ knowledge, attitude, and performance, especially in onetime behaviors (e.g., Covid-19 vaccination) [16, 17]
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