Vaccine Hesitancy in Mississippi: Does Political Ideology Muddy the Waters?

Abstract

During the SARS-CoV2 pandemic vaccines were made available at a rapid pace in the United States (US) with support from the government. In Mississippi, vaccine hesitancy was marked. Across the country many areas of the US demonstrated reduced uptake regarding this specific vaccine due to a variety of reasons. Even with the efficacy of the vaccine indicative of a significant level of protection from mortality and serious morbidity, vaccine uptake and hesitancy were a significant concern. This study surveyed Mississippians on their willingness to take the vaccine or not, and in particular, investigated political ideology as a reason for vaccine hesitancy. Data was collected via an online survey and 589 adults (>18 years) responded. Those self-identifying as "Republican" were more than twice as likely to disagree that not getting the vaccine was a risk to their health and others (OR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.70, 2.54) as those who identified as "Democrat or independent" voters. Future health promotion efforts should specifically attempt to address this group in a more effective manner.