Unpacking COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Network Analysis Perspective on Related Beliefs and Responses

Abstract

Background: Although SARS-CoV-2 vaccination effectively prevents severe infection, many people hesitate to get vaccinated. Psychological factors contributing to vaccination hesitancy include beliefs about vaccine safety and effectiveness, perceived severity of infection, mistrust in authorities, misinformation and conspiracy beliefs, and pandemic-related distress and coping. This cross-sectional study, conducted in Greece, explored the relationships between vaccination and pandemic-related beliefs and responses and examined whether these relationships differed between vaccinated individuals and those hesitating or unwilling to vaccinate.

Method: The study was conducted one year after the coronavirus vaccine was available for the entire population and the Omicron variant started to spread. The sample included 520 participants (358 females; mean age = 38.33 years). Network analysis was used to map the connections between the variables.

Results: Findings revealed that people less concerned about infection severity and less confident in vaccine effectiveness were more likely to avoid vaccination. Notably, the network structure differed significantly between the two groups. Vaccinated participants exhibited a dense network of interconnected beliefs and responses, with vaccine safety, trust in authorities, worry regarding the pandemic or infection, and a positive outlook playing central roles. In contrast, the hesitant group displayed fewer connections, with vaccine safety and effectiveness beliefs linked primarily to trust in authorities and misinformation.

Conclusions: These differences suggest that vaccinated individuals process pandemic and vaccine-related information more comprehensively, while hesitancy may stem from limited integration of related beliefs.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Information processing; Pandemic; Vaccination; Vaccination hesitancy.