The impact of health beliefs and trust in health information sources on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine uptake.

BACKGROUND

Health beliefs may mediate the relationship between trust and vaccination decisions, as confidence in online health information has expanded quickly. However, little is known about how health attitudes and trust in health information affect COVID-19 vaccine intention. This study aimed to assess the effect of health beliefs and trust in information sources on the willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine among the general public in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This study was designed and carried out at the Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Selected items were extracted from the Saudi Residents' Intention to Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 (SRIGVAC) survey. They were categorized and validated into constructs of a health belief model (the perceived threat of COVID-19, vaccine-related benefits, barriers, and safety concerns) and trust in health information (from online platforms and health authorities/providers). Regression analysis and parallel mediation were used to assess the predictors of vaccination intentions.

RESULTS

Based on the responses of 3,091 participants, vaccine-related barriers and safety concerns negatively influenced vaccination intention, whereas vaccine benefits and the perceived threat of COVID-19 were positively correlated with vaccination intention. Trust in online health information had a direct relationship with intentions (β = 0.09,  < 0.0001) as well as indirect relationships through the perceived benefits (β = 0.095), the perceived barriers (β = -0.029), and the perceived safety concerns toward the vaccine (β = -0.010). The relationship between the willingness to vaccinate and trust in authentic information was fully mediated by all domains of health beliefs, with indirect coefficients of 0.004, 0.310, -0.134, and -0.031 for the perceived threat, vaccine benefits, barriers, and safety concerns, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between the willingness to vaccinate and trust in authentic information was fully mediated by all domains of health beliefs. Vaccine coverage in Saudi Arabia can be optimized by targeting the health beliefs of the general public.