Drivers of the Intention to Receive a COVID-19 Booster Vaccine: Insights from the UK and Australia

Abstract

As the global pandemic perpetuates, keeping the population vaccinated will be imperative to maintain societal protection from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. However, while empirical evidence regarding predictors of the intention to receive a first COVID-19 vaccine has amassed, our understanding regarding the psychological and behavioral drivers of continued COVID-19 vaccination remains limited. In this pre-registered study (UK: AsPredicted#78370|Australia: AsPredicted#81667), factors predicting the intention to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccine were investigated in two adult samples from the UK (N = 1222) and Australia (N = 1197) that were nationally representative on factors of age, gender, and geographic location. High levels of booster intent were found (73% and 67%, respectively). Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) revealed three key predictors of the intention to receive a booster vaccine that emerged across both UK and Australian samples: concern regarding the COVID-19 virus, positive perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines, and the perceived severity of side effects experienced to the last COVID-19 vaccine dose. Several additional factors (age, months since the last COVID-19 vaccine, familiarity with side effects, and regularly receiving the influenza vaccine) were present in the Australian dataset. These findings provide important evidence that targeting psychological perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine and virus may serve to maintain participation in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, paving the way for future behavioural research in this area.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; booster vaccine; psychological predictors; vaccination; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine intention.

Figure 1

Distribution of the primary outcome (Booster Vaccine Intention) across the UK (left) and Australian (right) samples presented as the percentage of the sample in each bin of data.

Figure 2

Variables in the final model concerning the UK Sample (statistics are reported as: standardised estimate (standard error) *** (p < 0.001) ** (p < 0.01); * (p < 0.05)). Covariance between latent variables and dose 2 side effects were included to improve fit. The latent variable ‘virus’ relates to psychological perceptions of the COVID-19 virus, and ‘vaccine’ to the COVID-19 vaccine. Other abbreviations are outlined in Table 1 above.

Figure 3

Variables in the final model concerning the Australian Sample. Note, statistics are reported as: standardised estimates (standard error) *** (p < 0.001) ** (p < 0.01); * (p < 0.05). As in the UK model, covariance between latent variables and dose 2 side effects were included to improve fit. The latent variable ‘virus’ relates to psychological perceptions of the COVID-19 virus, and ‘vaccine’ to the COVID-19 vaccine. Other abbreviations are outlined in Table 1 above.