AUTHOR=Leos-Toro Cesar , Ribeaud Denis , Bechtiger Laura , Steinhoff Annekatrin , Nivette Amy , Murray Aja L., Hepp Urs , Quednow Boris B., Eisner Manuel P., Shanahan Lilly
TITLE=Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccination Among Young Adults in Zurich, Switzerland, September 2020
JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health
VOLUME=66
YEAR=2021
URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2021.643486
DOI=10.3389/ijph.2021.643486
ISSN=1661-8564
ABSTRACT=Objectives: Young adults are essential to the effective mitigation of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) given their tendency toward greater frequency of social interactions. Little is known about vaccine willingness during pandemics in European populations. This study examined young people’s attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines in Fall 2020.
Methods: Data came from an ongoing longitudinal study’s online COVID-19-focused supplement among young adults aged 22 in Zurich, Switzerland (N = 499) in September 2020. Logistic regressions examined young adults’ likelihood of participating in COVID-19 immunization programs.
Results: Approximately half of respondents reported being unlikely to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Compared to males, females were more likely to oppose COVID-19 vaccination (p < 0.05). In multivariate models, Sri Lankan maternal background and higher socioeconomic status were associated with a greater likelihood of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Respondents were more likely to report a willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when they perceived 1) an effective government response (p < 0.05) and 2) their information sources to be objective (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: This study communicates aspects important to the development of targeted information campaigns to promote engagement in COVID-19 immunization efforts.