The Mediating Role of Vaccine Hesitancy in the Relations of COVID-19 Conspiracy Beliefs and Vaccination Outcomes: Which Dimensions Matter?

Overview

Journal J Health Psychol

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Psychology

Date 2022 May 11

PMID 35543352

Authors

Matt C Howard

Maggie M Davis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs have a powerful detrimental influence on COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and behaviors. We investigate an expanded range of outcomes for COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, and we test which vaccine hesitancy dimensions mediate these relations. Our results show that COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs relate to COVID-19 vaccination willingness and receipt, flu vaccination willingness and receipt, as well as vaccine word-of-mouth. Many of these relations are mediated by vaccine hesitancy dimensions that represent perceptions that vaccines pose health risks as well as perceptions that vaccines are not needed because the respondent is healthy. Our discussion identifies directions for future research.

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