Injection fears and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

When vaccination depends on injection, it is plausible that the blood-injection-injury cluster of fears may contribute to hesitancy. Our primary aim was to estimate in the UK adult population the proportion of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy explained by blood-injection-injury fears.

METHODS:

In total, 15 014 UK adults, quota sampled to match the population for age, gender, ethnicity, income and region, took part (19 January-5 February 2021) in a non-probability online survey. The Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Scale assessed intent to be vaccinated. Two scales (Specific Phobia Scale-blood-injection-injury phobia and Medical Fear Survey-injections and blood subscale) assessed blood-injection-injury fears. Four items from these scales were used to create a factor score specifically for injection fears.

RESULTS:

In total, 3927 (26.2%) screened positive for blood-injection-injury phobia. Individuals screening positive (22.0%) were more likely to report COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy compared to individuals screening negative (11.5%), odds ratio = 2.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.97-2.40, p < 0.001. The population attributable fraction (PAF) indicated that if blood-injection-injury phobia were absent then this may prevent 11.5% of all instances of vaccine hesitancy, AF = 0.11; 95% CI 0.09-0.14, p < 0.001. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was associated with higher scores on the Specific Phobia Scale, r = 0.22, p < 0.001, Medical Fear Survey, r = 0.23, p = <0.001 and injection fears, r = 0.25, p < 0.001. Injection fears were higher in youth and in Black and Asian ethnic groups, and explained a small degree of why vaccine hesitancy is higher in these groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Across the adult population, blood-injection-injury fears may explain approximately 10% of cases of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Addressing such fears will likely improve the effectiveness of vaccination programmes.

• Authors: Daniel Freeman, Sinéad Lambe, Ly-Mee Yu, Jason Freeman, Andrew Chadwick, Cristian Vaccari, Felicity Waite, Laina Rosebrock, Ariane Petit, Samantha Vanderslott, Stephan Lewandowsky, Michael Larkin, Stefania Innocenti, Helen McShane, Andrew J Pollard, Bao Sheng Loe
• Journal: Psychological medicine (Psychol Med) Vol. 53 Issue 4 Pg. 1185-1195 (03 2023) ISSN: 1469-8978 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34112276 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• COVID-19 Vaccines

Topics

• Adult
• Adolescent
• Humans
• COVID-19 Vaccines
• COVID-19 (prevention & control)
• Phobic Disorders (epidemiology)
• Fear