Dynamic role of personality in explaining COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal

Role of introvert and extrovert personalities in perception of COVID-19's impact, psychological state, knowledge, infection, and preparedness preferences

BACKGROUND

The role of introversion and extraversion in shaping pandemic responses remains understudied in the field of public health. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate differences in perceptions of COVID-19's impact, psychological status, knowledge of COVID-19, infection rate, and preferred preparations among introverts and extroverts.

METHODS

This study utilized a cross-sectional design. From May to June 2022, an online survey was conducted, involving 1,990 adults in Hong Kong. Regression analyses were employed to identify personality differences across 58 outcomes of interest. To account for multiplicity, adjustments were made using the Holm-Bonferroni method.

RESULTS

Extroverts reported a greater increase in having a meal at home (adjusted p [adj.p] < 0.001), while introverts' sleep quality decreased more (adj.p < 0.001). Although no statistical difference was detected between the decrease they showed in emotional stress (adj.p = 1.000) and mental burden (adj.p = 1.000), introverts had higher levels of anxiety (adj.p = 0.006), depression (adj.p < 0.001), and fear (adj.p = 0.026), whereas extroverts had stronger out of control feelings (adj.p = 0.010). Besides, extroverts had higher self-rated knowledge on COVID-19 knowledge (adj.p = 0.016) and prevention (adj.p < 0.001). Moreover, extroverts perceived higher importance in online consultation with doctors, instant personalized health by online chatbot, online courses, instant streaming courses, medicine delivery, online shopping, and food delivery (all adj.p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Introverts could benefit most from interventions addressing sleep quality, anxiety, depression, fear, and knowledge promotion about COVID-19, while extroverts could benefit most from approaches that address feeling out of control. Extroverts had higher preferences for online consultations, instant personalized health via online chatbots, streaming courses, online courses, and medicine delivery, emphasizing the importance of considering personality in field of telemedicine, e-health, and remote medicine practice. These findings have important implications for pandemic response and preparedness, highlighting the role of personality in public health emergencies.

Evaluating the Immunogenicity of an Intranasal Microparticle Combination Vaccine for COVID-19 and Influenza

BACKGROUND

Infectious respiratory pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 and influenza frequently mutate, leading to the emergence of variants. This necessitates continuous updates to FDA-approved vaccines with booster shots targeting the circulating variants. Vaccine hesitancy and needle injections create inconvenience and contribute to reduced global vaccination rates. To address the burden of frequent painful injections, this manuscript explores the potential of non-invasive intranasal (IN) vaccine administration as an effective alternative to intramuscular (IM) shots. Further, as a proof-of-concept, an inactivated combination vaccine for COVID-19 and influenza was tested to eliminate the need for separate vaccinations.

METHODS

The methods involved encapsulating antigens and adjuvants in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer matrices, achieving over 85% entrapment. The vaccine was evaluated in vitro for cytotoxicity and immunogenicity before being administered to 6-8-week-old Swiss Webster mice at weeks 0, 3, and 6. The mice were then assessed for antibody levels and cellular responses.

RESULTS

The intranasal microparticle (IN-MP) vaccine induced an innate immune response, autophagy, and were non-cytotoxic in vitro. In vivo, the vaccine led to high levels of virus-specific serum IgM, IgG, and IgA binding antibodies, as well as elevated IgG and IgA levels in the lung wash samples. The antibodies generated demonstrated neutralizing activity against the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Furthermore, the IN-MP vaccine prompted increased antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in the vaccinated mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The IN-MP combination vaccine produced immune responses comparable to or higher than the IM route, indicating its potential as an alternative to IM injections.

Germany under the Tinfoil Hat? The associations of the big five personality traits and coronavirus conspiracy beliefs with the intention to get vaccinated

BACKGROUND

The governments of democracies worldwide are relying on the active cooperation of their populations to combat COVID-19. Simultaneously, beliefs in conspiracy theories surrounding the pandemic have flourished. The present article examines the effects of the big five personality traits and conspiracy beliefs on the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Germany.

METHODS

This correlational, cross-sectional mediation analysis was conducted using data from a nationwide German household panel (N = 1390).

RESULTS

Openness to experience (β = -.082, p = .004) and neuroticism (β = .112, p < .001) showed direct effects on conspiracy beliefs, while conspiracy beliefs had the strongest effect on vaccination intention (β = -.424, p < .001). Indirect positive effects of openness (β = .035, p = .005) and negative effects of neuroticism (β = -.047, p < .001) on the intention to get vaccinated via conspiracy beliefs were identified, with a mediation in the strict sense only for openness. No direct or total effect of the big five on vaccination intention could be found.

CONCLUSIONS

The big five personality traits are associated, although indirectly, with the intention to be vaccinated. Compared with similar studies on the effects of the big five on COVID-19-related outcomes, we found slightly higher proportions of explained variance in conspiracy beliefs and significantly higher explained variance in vaccination intention. In order to increase the willingness to be vaccinated, targeted and nationwide uniform information measures should be provided addressing feelings of security, of not being excluded, and the activation of critical reasoning.

Links between Vaccination Fear-, Anxiety-, Alexithymia-, and Type D Personality-Related Vaccination Decisions: A Network Analysis in a Multicultural Sample

This study examines the links between vaccination status, fear of vaccination (cognitive and somatic symptoms), anxiety, alexithymia, and type D personality (negative affect and social inhibition), to propose policies to increase vaccination rates. A sample of university students (n = 2535; mean age = 20.59, SD = 2.04; male: 26.75%, female: 73.25%) from Spain, Italy, Lebanon, Nigeria, Turkey, and Ukraine completed the Vaccination Fear Scale (VFS-6), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S), the Type D Scale (DS14), and also a question on vaccination status. Correlation, regression, and network analyses were applied. Cognitive symptoms of fear of vaccination and negative affect were the most significant in the correlation and regression analyses. In the network analysis, negative affect showed the highest values in all centrality indices and positive relationships with other nodes. Vaccination status showed negative relationships with fear of vaccination, alexithymia, and social inhibition. The network structure is similar between the sexes but varies between cultures and sexes within cultures. The relationship between vaccination status and cognitive symptoms of fear of vaccination was the most consistent, allowing for interventions at this level to be advised across cultures. For more specific interventions, cultural context must be considered for optimal results.

Community Level Correlates of COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Hesitancy in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Introduction: Evidence exists that individual-level sociodemographic factors contribute to vaccine hesitancy, but it is unknown how community-level factors affect COVID-19 booster dose hesitancy. The current study aims to fill this knowledge gap by comparing data from a nationwide survey on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy with a community-level indicator, i.e., the Distressed Communities Index (DCI). Methods: Attitudes toward vaccinations, vaccine literacy, COVID-19 vaccine confidence index, and trust were measured using a 48-item, psychometrically valid and reliable survey tool. In this study, 2138 survey participants residing in the United States were divided into quintiles of varying community distress levels based on their zip codes using the DCI. Data were analyzed through Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc analysis with Tukey's test. Results: A significantly higher proportion of participants from the distressed communities had lower trust than their prosperous counterparts (26.6% vs. 37.6%, p < 0.001). On the contrary, participants from the prosperous communities had significantly higher vaccine confidence index scores than those in distressed communities (2.22 ± 1.13 vs. 1.70 ± 1.01, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings affirm the importance of developing community-level interventions to promote trust in COVID-19 vaccinations and increase booster dose uptake. From these results, future studies can examine the efficacy of various community-level interventions.

When I feel that I am better off, science seems to make the world better off too: inequality, perceived standard of living and perceptions toward science

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored that divisive views on science and technology span both the Global North and South. This study posits that an individual's perception of their current living standard acts as a mediating factor linking income inequality to attitudes towards scientific and technological advancements. It contends that rising income disparities shape perceptions, making individuals feel their current living conditions have not surpassed those of prior generations. Consequently, such perceptions diminish the likelihood of recognizing the positive impacts of science and technology on societal progress and future prospects. This paper sheds light on how escalating inequality fosters societal rifts concerning science and technology.