Do Vaccination Attitudes Mediate the Link between Critical Consciousness and COVID-19 Vaccination Behaviour? A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Critical consciousness development represents a building block in the formation of health-related attitudes and behaviours. One of the most studied health-related behaviours in the previous year is COVID-19 vaccination behaviour. The present study examines critical consciousness, COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and vaccination behaviour in a consistent sample of young adults (N = 1185). Participants were residents of Romania, aged 18 to 41 years. The Critical Consciousness Scale—Short Form (CCS-S) and the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale were used. The results demonstrate the mediating role of two types of vaccination attitude—lack of confidence in the promoted vaccine benefits and worries about unforeseen effects—in the relationship between critical reflection and vaccination behaviour. Communication is fundamental in an initiative aimed at changing behaviour. When shaping a health-related campaign, communication and dialogue must be horizontal and characterised by empathy and mutual recognition to determine favourable health-related behaviour.