Influences on COVID-19 Vaccine Adherence among Pregnant Women: The Role of Internet Access and Pre-Vaccination Emotions.

Publisher: MDPI Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 101238455 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1660-4601 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 16604601 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Environ Res Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: Basel : MDPI, c2004-

COVID-19 Vaccines* ; Internet* ; COVID-19*/prevention & control ; COVID-19*/psychology ; Pregnant Women*/psychology; Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Young Adult ; Emotions ; Vaccination Hesitancy/psychology ; Vaccination Hesitancy/statistics & numerical data ; Vaccination/psychology ; Vaccination/statistics & numerical data

Introduction: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about global uncertainties and fears, escalating the dissemination of fake news. This study aims to analyze the impact of fake news on COVID-19 vaccine adherence among pregnant women, providing crucial insights for effective communication strategies during the pandemic.
Methods: A cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted with 113 pregnant women under care at a Women's Health Reference Center. Data analysis included relative frequency and odds ratio to assess the relationship between sociodemographic and behavioral variables regarding vaccination.
Results: In the behavioral context of vaccination, internet access shows a significant association with decision-making, influencing vaccine refusal due to online information. Nuances in the odds ratios results highlight the complexity of vaccine hesitancy, emphasizing the importance of information quality. Pre-vaccination sentiments include stress (87.61%), fear (50.44%), and anxiety (40.7%), indicating the need for sensitive communication strategies.
Discussion: Results revealed that pregnant women with higher education tend to adhere more to vaccination. Exposure to news about vaccine inefficacy had a subtle association with hesitancy, while finding secure sources was negatively associated with hesitancy. The behavioral complexity in the relationship between online information access and vaccination decision underscores the need for effective communication strategies.
Conclusions: In the face of this challenging scenario, proactive strategies, such as developing specific campaigns for pregnant women, are essential. These should provide clear information, debunk myths, and address doubts. A user-centered approach, understanding their needs, is crucial. Furthermore, ensuring information quality and promoting secure sources are fundamental measures to strengthen trust in vaccination and enhance long-term public health.

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Keywords: fake news; pregnant women; vaccine adherence

0 (COVID-19 Vaccines)

Date Created: 20240627 Date Completed: 20240627 Latest Revision: 20240629

20240629

PMC11203530

10.3390/ijerph21060719

38928965