Global Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND

vaccine hesitancy is defined as a delay in the acceptance or refusal of vaccination, even though immunisation is a determinant in reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

AIM

to identify and analyse the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and/or hesitancy.

METHODS

a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria.

KEYWORDS

vaccine and (COVID or SARS) and (acceptance or acceptability or willingness or hesitancy or refusal) and (multivariate or regression) and (questionnaire or survey) and national. Databases/resources: PubMed, DOAJ, SciELO and b-on. Timeframe: March 2020-2022.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

general population, questionnaire-based, calculation of a multivariate regression model and national studies.

QUALITY ASSESSMENT

application of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute (NHLBI) tool.

RESULTS

a total of 37 studies were selected, whose overall rate was fair. The most predominant predictors of vaccine hesitancy were a lower perceived risk of getting infected, a lower level of institutional trust, not being vaccinated against influenza, lower levels of perceived severity of COVID-19, or stronger beliefs that the vaccination would cause side effects or be unsafe.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

the identified predictors can be used to design tailored health policies and/or public health interventions, or to evaluate subjects' vaccine hesitancy.