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. 2022 Apr 29;8(17):eabm9825.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9825. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in eight European countries: Prevalence, determinants, and heterogeneity

Janina I Steinert  1   2   3 , Henrike Sternberg  2 , Hannah Prince  1 , Barbara Fasolo  4 , Matteo M Galizzi  5 , Tim Büthe  1   2   6   7 , Giuseppe A Veltri  8
Affiliations

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in eight European countries: Prevalence, determinants, and heterogeneity

Janina I Steinert et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

We examine heterogeneity in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy across eight European countries. We reveal striking differences across countries, ranging from 6.4% of adults in Spain to 61.8% in Bulgaria reporting being hesitant. We experimentally assess the effectiveness of different messages designed to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Receiving messages emphasizing either the medical benefits or the hedonistic benefits of vaccination significantly increases COVID-19 vaccination willingness in Germany, whereas highlighting privileges contingent on holding a vaccination certificate increases vaccination willingness in both Germany and the United Kingdom. No message has significant positive effects in any other country. Machine learning-based heterogeneity analyses reveal that treatment effects are smaller or even negative in settings marked by high conspiracy beliefs and low health literacy. In contrast, trust in government increases treatment effects in some groups. The heterogeneity in vaccine hesitancy and responses to different messages suggests that health authorities should avoid one-size-fits-all vaccination campaigns.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy by gender.
Participants were considered vaccine hesitant if they reported being either unsure whether they would get vaccinated against COVID-19 or certain that they would not get vaccinated. Participants who had already received one or two vaccine shots were coded as not hesitant.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.. Acceptance of different COVID-19 vaccines among unvaccinated participants with conditional willingness.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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