Examining the influence of information-related factors on vaccination intentions via confidence: Insights from adult samples in Italy and Serbia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The research investigates the antecedents of immunisation intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including information-related factors (conspiracy beliefs, immunisation knowledge and health communication perception) and confidence-related factors (trust in healthcare institutions and vaccine risk perception). Data were collected online from two samples of Italian (N = 324) and Serbian (N = 486) participants. Path analyses confirmed a mediation mechanism: trust in health institutions and vaccine risk perception mediate the relationship between information-related factors and vaccination intentions, both towards COVID-19 and other diseases, with a few exceptions and differences between the samples. Findings show a glimpse into the inner psychological mechanisms of vaccination intentions. During times of crisis, such as pandemics, compliance toward vaccination can be fostered through the quality of information and the promotion of citizens' trust towards health institutions and vaccines.