Factors Associated with Willingness to be Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in a Large Convenience Sample

Abstract

Willingness and reasons to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were examined among 26,324 respondents who completed a survey on willingness and questions related to Confidence in vaccine safety, Complacency about the disease, Convenience of vaccination, tendency to Calculate risks versus benefits, and Concern for protecting others. Willingness to be vaccinated differed by age (p < 0.001), by race and ethnicity (p < 0.001) and by level of education (p < 0.001). Willingness generally increased with age and education. Asians were most willing to be vaccinated, followed by non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Blacks (p < 0.001). Occupational groups differed in willingness (p < 0.001). Retired and students were more willing than all others (p < 0.001) followed by disabled or unemployed, healthcare workers, and educators. First Responders were least willing to be vaccinated (p < 0.001) followed by construction, maintenance and landscaping, homemakers, housekeeping, cleaning and janitorial workers, and retail and food service. The strongest predictor of willingness was confidence with the safety of the vaccine (r = 0.723, p < 0.001), followed by concern with protecting others by being vaccinated (r = 0.574, p < 0.001), and believing COVID-19 was serious enough to merit vaccination (r = 0.478, p < 0.00). Using multiple regression, confidence in safety was the strongest predictor for all groups. Protecting others was strongest for 13 of 15 demographic groups and 8 of 11 occupational groups. College educated, non-Hispanic Whites, first responders, construction, maintenance and landscape workers, housekeeping, cleaning and janitorial workers all gave greater weight to complacency about the disease. These results can help in designing programs to combat vaccine hesitancy.