Explaining higher Covid-19 vaccination among some US primary care professionals

Implicit theories of health predict influenza vaccination intention among elder Chinese: The mediating role of anticipated regret

Receiving influenza vaccines is the most effective public health strategy to protect people against seasonal flu infection. However, influenza vaccination rates are extremely low in China. This study investigated the association between implicit theories of health and influenza vaccination intention among elder Chinese when the vaccine is free (vs not free), and examined the mediating effect of anticipated regret. The results suggested that implicit theories of health, especially incremental theory of health, significantly predicted Chinese elders' influenza vaccination intention and this relationship was mediated by anticipated regret. Implications of the current research for promoting influenza vaccination among elder Chinese and directions for future research are discussed.

Lessons from COVID'S Vaccination: External-Internal Frictions and Efficiency

This paper explores some economic variables that determine the emerging of new COVID-19 variants and the determinants of vaccination advances in 108 countries during a quarterly period from March 2020 to March 2022. We found that more people being fully vaccinated and more education (measured as schooling years) decrease the probability of the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, but more crowded cities and higher percentages of urban population increase that probability. Furthermore, we found that the percentage of fully vaccinated people depends positively on the country's preparation to respond to a health crisis, educational levels, and the index of economic complexity (which measures how diverse in the production of goods and services a country is and the level of its infrastructure), and it depends negatively on the percentage of rural populations (which makes vaccination more difficult).

Anticipated Affect That Encourages or Discourages Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: A Scoping Review

We reviewed studies that examined the anticipated affects associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to identify gaps in the literature and the currently available practice implications for encouraging HPV vaccination. We systematically searched MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, Academic Search Complete, Scopus, and Web of Science to find English articles that quantitatively and qualitatively examined anticipated affects associated with HPV vaccination. A total of twenty-one studies were identified. Seventeen studies examined the anticipated inaction regret (i.e., not being vaccinated). Most of the included studies reported that anticipated inaction regret had a significantly positive association with HPV vaccination outcomes, such as vaccination behavior, intention, willingness, and acceptability. Furthermore, seven studies reported that anticipated inaction regret had a significantly positive and stronger association with vaccination outcomes than cognitive beliefs, such as vaccine effectiveness and safety, and perceived susceptibility and severity. The present review indicated that the stronger the participants' anticipated inaction regret, the more likely they were to receive the HPV vaccine. Messages targeting the anticipated affect may be as effective as or more effective than messages targeting cognitive beliefs in encouraging HPV vaccination among people. However, most of the studies included in the present review adopted a cross-sectional design with vaccination intention and willingness as outcomes. Therefore, future studies should examine the influence of anticipated affects on the utilization of HPV vaccines using experimental designs to accumulate stronger evidence.

Willingness to accept a second COVID-19 vaccination booster dose among healthcare workers in Italy

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is evolving,the newly emerged Omicron variant being the dominant strain worldwide, and this has raised concerns about vaccine efficacy. The purposes of this survey were to examine the extent to which healthcare workers (HCWs) intend to receive a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the factors that influence their willingness to accept it.

Methods

The study was conducted among HCWs who were randomly selected from four public hospitals in the Campania region, Southern Italy.

Results

A total of 496 HCWs answered the questionnaire (a response rate of 61.2%). Among the respondents, 20.8% indicated a score of 10, using a 10-point Likert-type scale, regarding the usefulness of a second COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. Physicians, HCWs who believed that COVID-19 was a severe disease, and those who have acquired information about the second booster dose from scientific journals were more likely to have this positive attitude. Slightly more than half of HCWs self-reported willingness to receive a second booster dose. Respondents who believe that HCWs are at higher risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2, those who have a higher belief that COVID-19 is a severe disease, and those who have a higher belief that a second booster dose is useful were more willing to receive a second booster dose. The main reasons for those who had a positive intention were to protect their family members and patients, whereas, the main reasons for not getting vaccinated or for uncertainty were that the dose does not offer protection against the emerging variants and the fear of its side effects. HCWs of younger age, physicians, those who have a higher belief that a second booster dose is useful, and those who were willing to receive a second booster dose were more likely to recommend the booster dose to their patients.

Conclusion

This study's findings highlight the necessity for designing and implementing educational interventions for improving second booster dose uptake and beliefs among HCWs and their capacity to recommend the vaccine to the patients.

"I'm luckier than everybody else!": Optimistic bias, COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, vaccination status, and the link with the time spent online, anticipated regret, and the perceived threat

The catastrophic wave in the fall of 2021 drove Romania to the top of the list of dangerous COVID-19 infections, with the highest mortality rate in Europe. At the same time, Romania had one of the lowest vaccination rates. In this context, the present research aimed to explore the link between vaccination intention/status, optimistic bias, COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, the time spent online, and vaccination (anticipated) regret. Our convenience sample was formed by 408 adults aged 18-63 years (M = 22.11, SD = 6.18, 69.9 % females), who were distributed into four groups: (1) non-vaccinated who definitely refused COVID-19 vaccination, (2) non-vaccinated who considered COVID-19 vaccination, (3) non-vaccinated who reported their absolute willingness to COVID-19 vaccination, and (4) people who were COVID-19 vaccinated. We conducted our analyses separately, depending on these groups (i.e., vaccination intentions/status). Data were collected using an online questionnaire between November 10, 2021, and January 03, 2022. In our cross-sectional approach, following correlation and ANOVA analyses, among the observed patterns were (1) the significant negative relation between optimism bias and the perceived COVID-19 threat; (2) the positive link between anticipated regret, post-vaccination regret, age, and conspiracy beliefs. We discuss our findings considering their contribution to health policies and practices.

Cumulative effects of air pollution and climate drivers on COVID-19 multiwaves in Bucharest, Romania

Over more than two years of global health crisis due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Romania experienced a five-wave pattern. This study aims to assess the potential impact of environmental drivers on COVID-19 transmission in Bucharest, capital of Romania during the analyzed epidemic period. Through descriptive statistics and cross-correlation tests applied to time series of daily observational and geospatial data of major outdoor inhalable particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) or ≤ 10 µm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), Aerosol Optical Depth at 550 nm (AOD) and radon (²²²Rn), we investigated the COVID-19 waves patterns under different meteorological conditions. This study examined the contribution of individual climate variables on the ground level air pollutants concentrations and COVID-19 disease severity. As compared to the long-term average AOD over Bucharest from 2015 to 2019, for the same year periods, this study revealed major AOD level reduction by ~28 % during the spring lockdown of the first COVID-19 wave (15 March 2020-15 May 2020), and ~16 % during the third COVID-19 wave (1 February 2021-1 June 2021). This study found positive correlations between exposure to air pollutants PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, SO₂, CO and ²²²Rn, and significant negative correlations, especially for spring-summer periods between ground O₃ levels, air temperature, Planetary Boundary Layer height, and surface solar irradiance with COVID-19 incidence and deaths. For the analyzed time period 1 January 2020-1 April 2022, before and during each COVID-19 wave were recorded stagnant synoptic anticyclonic conditions favorable for SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading, with positive Omega surface charts composite average (Pa/s) at 850 mb during fall- winter seasons, clearly evidenced for the second, the fourth and the fifth waves. These findings are relevant for viral infections controls and health safety strategies design in highly polluted urban environments.

Parents' intention for their children to receive COVID-19 vaccine: Implications for vaccination program in Macao

INTRODUCTION

The decision about vaccinating children is subject to their parents' decision. To inform strategies that support full vaccination coverage, it is important to understand the parents' vaccination attitude and tendency to act. This study aims to investigate the intention and the factors affecting parents' decision-making about vaccinating their children.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, self-administered online questionnaire was completed by parents of children aged 3-12 yeas in Macao between 7 March and 17 April 2022. The survey tool was informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) which composes of the variable "intention" and three TPB constructs (Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control). Respondents rated their level of agreement on the construct statements using a 5-point Likert scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine if the TPB constructs were predictors of parents' intention.

RESULTS

A total of 1,217 parents completed the questionnaire. The majority of participants were mothers (83.2%), aged 31-40 years (62.7%), having two or more children (74.1%), had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine (84.4%) and considered themselves knowledgeable about the vaccine (62.1%), all of which were significantly associated with the intention to vaccinate their children (all p < 0.05). Their intention varied from negative (19.1%), neutral (38.4%) to positive (42.5%). Respondents were mostly concerned about the serious side effects that the COVID-19 vaccine (mean = 3.96 ± 1.23), highly acknowledged the expectation by the school (mean = 3.94 ± 1.15) and the community (mean = 3.90 ± 1.19) of children vaccination, and rated highly the ease of making necessary arrangement (mean = 3.93 ± 1.25). In the multiple linear regression model which explained 63.5% of the variance in the intention-to-vaccinate their children, only Attitude (B = 0.52, p < 0.001) and Subjective Norm (B = 0.39, p < 0.001) were identified as strong predictors. The major reasons for not having intention were safety concerns (n = 646/699, 92.4%). Participants' most trusted local information sources were doctors (n = 682), government (n = 426) and healthcare professional organizations (n = 416).

CONCLUSIONS

Vaccinating children with COVID-19 vaccine is a complex decision-making for parents. A key to a successful COVID-19 vaccination program is effective communication about the safety profile and the usage experiences warranting the integration of reliable information sources across different healthcare sectors.