AUTHOR=Bucchi Massimiano , Fattorini Eliana , Saracino Barbara 

TITLE=Public Perception of COVID-19 Vaccination in Italy: The Role of Trust and Experts’ Communication

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=67

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604222

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1604222

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> Vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 throughout the world are not only a major organisational challenge, but also a communication and social challenge. Recent data from several countries show that a relevant proportion of citizens either do not plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or would rather postpone their vaccination. We argue that such attitudes are not the result of generalised scepticism about vaccination, nor of generalised distrust in science.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We analysed data from three survey waves on attitudes to vaccination against COVID-19 conducted in Italy in October 2020, January 2021, and May 2021 in the context of the Science in Society Monitor.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Positive evaluations of experts’ communication and trust in their contribution—as well as in that of health institutions, local authorities, and healthcare workers—play a key role in understanding the willingness to be vaccinated.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Relevant implications can be drawn in terms of communication efforts and institutional strategies that are essential to build effective and inclusive vaccination campaigns.</p>