COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II

Daniel Freeman; Bao S Loe; Andrew Chadwick; Cristian Vaccari; Felicity Waite; Laina Rosebrock; Lucy Jenner; Ariane Petit; Stephan Lewandowsky; Samantha Vanderslott; Stefania Innocenti; Michael Larkin; Alberto Giubilini; Ly-Mee Yu; Helen McShane; Andrew J Pollard; Sinéad Lambe

doi:10.1017/S0033291720005188

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II

Daniel Freeman
, Bao S Loe
, Andrew Chadwick
, Cristian Vaccari
, Felicity Waite
, Laina Rosebrock
, Lucy Jenner
, Ariane Petit
, Stephan Lewandowsky
, Samantha Vanderslott
, Stefania Innocenti
, Michael Larkin
, Alberto Giubilini
, Ly-Mee Yu
, Helen McShane
, Andrew J Pollard
, Sinéad Lambe

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
The Psychometrics Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Online Civic Culture Centre, Department of Communication and Media, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
Department of Psychology , University of Southampton , Southampton , Hampshire , UK; School of Psychological Science , University of Bristol , Bristol , Bristol , UK
Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, OxfordUK.
Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, OxfordUK.
Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
University of Oxford
The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to estimate provisional willingness to receive a coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, identify predictive socio-demographic factors, and, principally, determine potential causes in order to guide information provision.

METHODS: A non-probability online survey was conducted (24th September-17th October 2020) with 5,114 UK adults, quota sampled to match the population for age, gender, ethnicity, income, and region. The Oxford COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale assessed intent to take an approved vaccine. Structural equation modelling estimated explanatory factor relationships.

RESULTS: 71.7% (n=3,667) were willing to be vaccinated, 16.6% (n=849) were very unsure, and 11.7% (n=598) were strongly hesitant. An excellent model fit (RMSEA=0.05/CFI=0.97/TLI=0.97), explaining 86% of variance in hesitancy, was provided by beliefs about the collective importance, efficacy, side-effects, and speed of development of a COVID-19 vaccine. A second model, with reasonable fit (RMSEA=0.03/CFI=0.93/TLI=0.92), explaining 32% of variance, highlighted two higher-order explanatory factors: 'excessive mistrust' (r=0.51), including conspiracy beliefs, negative views of doctors, and need for chaos, and 'positive healthcare experiences' (r=-0.48), including supportive doctor interactions and good NHS care. Hesitancy was associated with younger age, female gender, lower income, and ethnicity, but socio-demographic information explained little variance (9.8%). Hesitancy was associated with lower adherence to social distancing guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is relatively evenly spread across the population. Willingness to take a vaccine is closely bound to recognition of the collective importance. Vaccine public information that highlights prosocial benefits may be especially effective. Factors such as conspiracy beliefs that foster mistrust and erode social cohesion will lower vaccine up-take.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-15
Number of pages	15
Journal	Psychological Medicine
Early online date	11 Dec 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005188
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 11 Dec 2020

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1017/S0033291720005188

COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY IN THE UK
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press. The final publication is available via Cambridge Journals Online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005188
Accepted author manuscript, 1.06 MB

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Freeman, D., Loe, B. S., Chadwick, A., Vaccari, C., Waite, F., Rosebrock, L., Jenner, L., Petit, A., Lewandowsky, S., Vanderslott, S., Innocenti, S., Larkin, M., Giubilini, A., Yu, L.-M., McShane, H., Pollard, A. J., & Lambe, S. (2020). COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II. Psychological Medicine, 1-15. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005188

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title = "COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Our aim was to estimate provisional willingness to receive a coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, identify predictive socio-demographic factors, and, principally, determine potential causes in order to guide information provision.METHODS: A non-probability online survey was conducted (24th September-17th October 2020) with 5,114 UK adults, quota sampled to match the population for age, gender, ethnicity, income, and region. The Oxford COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale assessed intent to take an approved vaccine. Structural equation modelling estimated explanatory factor relationships.RESULTS: 71.7\% (n=3,667) were willing to be vaccinated, 16.6\% (n=849) were very unsure, and 11.7\% (n=598) were strongly hesitant. An excellent model fit (RMSEA=0.05/CFI=0.97/TLI=0.97), explaining 86\% of variance in hesitancy, was provided by beliefs about the collective importance, efficacy, side-effects, and speed of development of a COVID-19 vaccine. A second model, with reasonable fit (RMSEA=0.03/CFI=0.93/TLI=0.92), explaining 32\% of variance, highlighted two higher-order explanatory factors: 'excessive mistrust' (r=0.51), including conspiracy beliefs, negative views of doctors, and need for chaos, and 'positive healthcare experiences' (r=-0.48), including supportive doctor interactions and good NHS care. Hesitancy was associated with younger age, female gender, lower income, and ethnicity, but socio-demographic information explained little variance (9.8\%). Hesitancy was associated with lower adherence to social distancing guidelines.CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is relatively evenly spread across the population. Willingness to take a vaccine is closely bound to recognition of the collective importance. Vaccine public information that highlights prosocial benefits may be especially effective. Factors such as conspiracy beliefs that foster mistrust and erode social cohesion will lower vaccine up-take.",

author = "Daniel Freeman and Loe, \{Bao S\} and Andrew Chadwick and Cristian Vaccari and Felicity Waite and Laina Rosebrock and Lucy Jenner and Ariane Petit and Stephan Lewandowsky and Samantha Vanderslott and Stefania Innocenti and Michael Larkin and Alberto Giubilini and Ly-Mee Yu and Helen McShane and Pollard, \{Andrew J\} and Sin{\'e}ad Lambe",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press. The final publication is available via Cambridge Journals Online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005188",

year = "2020",

month = dec,

day = "11",

doi = "10.1017/S0033291720005188",

language = "English",

pages = "1--15",

journal = "Psychological Medicine",

issn = "0033-2917",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

Freeman, D, Loe, BS, Chadwick, A, Vaccari, C, Waite, F, Rosebrock, L, Jenner, L, Petit, A, Lewandowsky, S, Vanderslott, S, Innocenti, S, Larkin, M, Giubilini, A, Yu, L-M, McShane, H, Pollard, AJ & Lambe, S 2020, 'COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II', Psychological Medicine, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005188

TY - JOUR

T1 - COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II

AU - Freeman, Daniel

AU - Loe, Bao S

AU - Chadwick, Andrew

AU - Vaccari, Cristian

AU - Waite, Felicity

AU - Rosebrock, Laina

AU - Jenner, Lucy

AU - Petit, Ariane

AU - Lewandowsky, Stephan

AU - Vanderslott, Samantha

AU - Innocenti, Stefania

AU - Larkin, Michael

AU - Giubilini, Alberto

AU - Yu, Ly-Mee

AU - McShane, Helen

AU - Pollard, Andrew J

AU - Lambe, Sinéad

PY - 2020/12/11

Y1 - 2020/12/11

N2 - BACKGROUND: Our aim was to estimate provisional willingness to receive a coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, identify predictive socio-demographic factors, and, principally, determine potential causes in order to guide information provision.METHODS: A non-probability online survey was conducted (24th September-17th October 2020) with 5,114 UK adults, quota sampled to match the population for age, gender, ethnicity, income, and region. The Oxford COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale assessed intent to take an approved vaccine. Structural equation modelling estimated explanatory factor relationships.RESULTS: 71.7% (n=3,667) were willing to be vaccinated, 16.6% (n=849) were very unsure, and 11.7% (n=598) were strongly hesitant. An excellent model fit (RMSEA=0.05/CFI=0.97/TLI=0.97), explaining 86% of variance in hesitancy, was provided by beliefs about the collective importance, efficacy, side-effects, and speed of development of a COVID-19 vaccine. A second model, with reasonable fit (RMSEA=0.03/CFI=0.93/TLI=0.92), explaining 32% of variance, highlighted two higher-order explanatory factors: 'excessive mistrust' (r=0.51), including conspiracy beliefs, negative views of doctors, and need for chaos, and 'positive healthcare experiences' (r=-0.48), including supportive doctor interactions and good NHS care. Hesitancy was associated with younger age, female gender, lower income, and ethnicity, but socio-demographic information explained little variance (9.8%). Hesitancy was associated with lower adherence to social distancing guidelines.CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is relatively evenly spread across the population. Willingness to take a vaccine is closely bound to recognition of the collective importance. Vaccine public information that highlights prosocial benefits may be especially effective. Factors such as conspiracy beliefs that foster mistrust and erode social cohesion will lower vaccine up-take.

AB - BACKGROUND: Our aim was to estimate provisional willingness to receive a coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, identify predictive socio-demographic factors, and, principally, determine potential causes in order to guide information provision.METHODS: A non-probability online survey was conducted (24th September-17th October 2020) with 5,114 UK adults, quota sampled to match the population for age, gender, ethnicity, income, and region. The Oxford COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale assessed intent to take an approved vaccine. Structural equation modelling estimated explanatory factor relationships.RESULTS: 71.7% (n=3,667) were willing to be vaccinated, 16.6% (n=849) were very unsure, and 11.7% (n=598) were strongly hesitant. An excellent model fit (RMSEA=0.05/CFI=0.97/TLI=0.97), explaining 86% of variance in hesitancy, was provided by beliefs about the collective importance, efficacy, side-effects, and speed of development of a COVID-19 vaccine. A second model, with reasonable fit (RMSEA=0.03/CFI=0.93/TLI=0.92), explaining 32% of variance, highlighted two higher-order explanatory factors: 'excessive mistrust' (r=0.51), including conspiracy beliefs, negative views of doctors, and need for chaos, and 'positive healthcare experiences' (r=-0.48), including supportive doctor interactions and good NHS care. Hesitancy was associated with younger age, female gender, lower income, and ethnicity, but socio-demographic information explained little variance (9.8%). Hesitancy was associated with lower adherence to social distancing guidelines.CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is relatively evenly spread across the population. Willingness to take a vaccine is closely bound to recognition of the collective importance. Vaccine public information that highlights prosocial benefits may be especially effective. Factors such as conspiracy beliefs that foster mistrust and erode social cohesion will lower vaccine up-take.

UR - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/covid19-vaccine-hesitancy-in-the-uk-the-oxford-coronavirus-explanations-attitudes-and-narratives-survey-oceans-ii/C30FDB5C3D87123F28E351FDAAD5351A

U2 - 10.1017/S0033291720005188

DO - 10.1017/S0033291720005188

M3 - Article

C2 - 33305716

SN - 0033-2917

SP - 1

EP - 15

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

ER -

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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