Prior Vaccination and Effectiveness of Communication Strategies Used to Describe Infectious Diseases

Cultural and social attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and factors associated with vaccine acceptance in adults across the globe: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To identify and synthesise evidence on cultural and social attitudes towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and factors associated with vaccine acceptance in the adult population.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Six electronic databases were searched (CINAHL, Coronavirus Research Database, Embase, MEDLINE, Nursing and Allied Health Database, and Web of Science Core Collection). Additional studies were identified through Google Scholar and hand searching the reference lists of all studies included in the review.

METHOD

The searches were conducted to identify all relevant studies published in English, from December 2019 to December 2021. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS tool) were used to critically appraise the quality of included studies. Data were extracted and synthesised narratively.

RESULTS

1260 records were identified, of which 38 studies were included in the review. Low COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rates were found among young people, females, non-medical students, and even some healthcare workers, which were associated with misinformation obtained through social media platforms, unknown side effects, questionable conspiracy theories, and doubts about efficacy and safety. Higher COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rates were due to recommendations from healthcare professionals and government sources, and the perceived increased risk of contracting COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance varies across the globe. To increase the acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine, public health education programmes should be promoted effectively and target specifically the groups who are most hesitant to receive the vaccine such as young people, females, and non-medical students. Vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers can affect vaccination rates as the majority of the population views them as a trustworthy source for vaccine-related knowledge. Staff training is important to enhance their confidence and communication skills in providing information about COVID-19 vaccination to combat the misunderstanding of the public and encourage vaccine uptake.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021248016.

Effects of Construal Level on Responses to Ambiguous Health Information about Alcohol Consumption

Information about the health effects of alcohol consumption can be ambiguous (i.e., lacking in reliability, credibility, or adequacy) and thus may promote maladaptive health behavior. Guided by Construal Level Theory and a conceptual taxonomy of uncertainty in health care, we tested the hypothesis that manipulating construal level would promote adaptive responses to ambiguous health information. We examined the effects of ambiguous health information about alcohol on health cognitions, message responses, and intentions, as well as whether manipulating construal moderated these effects. Alcohol users (n = 135, M_age = 20.15, 68.9% female) were randomly assigned to either a high-level or low-level construal task and then to read either an ambiguous or unambiguous health communication about the health effects of alcohol. Participants responded similarly to ambiguous health information as they did to unambiguous health information and participants in a high-level construal did not generally report differences compared with those in a low-level construal. Findings suggest that ambiguous health information might not always lead to maladaptive effects. More research is needed to examine moderators of the relationship between ambiguous health information and health outcomes, as well as to understand how and when using construal manipulations are effective in different health contexts.

Psychological Impact of Ambiguous Health Messages about COVID-19

Perceiving ambiguity in health information-that is, uncertainty elicited from believing information lacks credibility, reliability, or adequacy-is typically associated with pessimistic appraisals (e.g., high perceived disease risk) and behavioral avoidance. We examined the effect of ambiguous health information about COVID-19 on health cognitions and vaccination intentions, and tested a "normalized-uncertainty" intervention. Two studies with identical methodology (online adult sample: n = 299, undergraduate sample: n = 150) were conducted in March to April 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to read one of three health messages about COVID-19 that emphasized what was currently unknown (ambiguity condition), what was currently unknown but that scientific uncertainty is expected (intervention condition), or what was currently known (control condition). The ambiguity condition led to greater perceived ambiguity than the control condition and perceived ambiguity in the intervention condition was comparable to the ambiguity condition. There were few differences in health cognitions, and no differences in vaccination intentions, when examining pairwise comparisons across the three conditions. Correlational analyses collapsing across condition indicated evidence of pessimistic appraisal but not behavioral avoidance among individuals who perceived greater ambiguity. Future research should examine longer, more detailed normalized-uncertainty interventions.

A Select Bibliography of Actions to Promote Vaccine Literacy: A Resource for Health Communication

In this bibliography, the researchers provide an introduction to the available evidence base of actions to promote vaccine literacy. The research team organized interventions to create a tool that can inform health communicators and practitioners seeking a resource focused on strategy and implementation design for actions that support vaccine literacy. This scoping bibliography is honed specifically to respond to the urgency of the current pandemic, when supporting and increasing vaccine literacy offers promise for achieving the critically needed high levels of vaccination. Over the course of the coming months and year, this bibliography will be a dynamic and "living" document hosted and maintained on vaccineliteracy.com.