Variety of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance: Results from a Questionnaire Survey on Workplace Vaccination at University

Abstract

It is important for the decision making against COVID-19 to understand characteristics of vaccine hesitancy and acceptance. Many studies have shown that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was correlated with demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and incomes, but there has not been sufficient evidence whether COVID-19 fatigue affected public acceptance of vaccine. In addition, previous studies have discussed vaccine hesitancy without adequate consideration for the diversity of individual vaccination behaviors. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire survey of university students to investigate factors causing vaccine hesitancy and acceptance and to examine individual differences. Answers of 191 respondents were collected. Perceived risk toward COVID-19 did not influence vaccine intention, while concerns about vaccine side effects and unreliability of vaccine efficacy contributed to hesitancy. Respondents who believed that they might be relieved of COVID-19 stress after vaccination tended to accept vaccine. Vaccine hesitant respondents were divided into subgroups by cluster analysis. Reasons for hesitancy vary greatly among subgroups. A factor of hesitancy for one group was not always a factor for another group.