Examining the validity of the drivers of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance scale using Rasch analysis

ABSTRACT

Background

To well control the pandemic of COVID-19, herd immunity should be achieved. However, people, especially those with better physical conditions (e.g., young adults), may not accept COVID-19 vaccines. Understanding university students’ willingness or reluctance to uptake COVID-19 vaccination is important.

Aim

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the DrVac-COVID19S, an instrument that helps assess motivations/drivers of COVID-19 vaccination uptake among university students.

Research Design and Methods

Using convenience sampling and cross-sectional design, university students (930 from Taiwan [38.0% males] and 1,244 from Ghana [63.3% males]) completed the DrVac-COVID19S using an online survey (Taiwanese students) or paper-and-pen method (Ghanaian students). Rasch analysis was used to examine the psychometric properties of the DrVac-COVID19S.

Results

All 12 items in the DrVac-COVID19S had a satisfactory fit in the Rasch models (infit MnSq = 0.74 to 1.49; outfit MnSq = 0.72 to 1.42). Moreover, the seven-point Likert scale used in the DrVac-COVID19S demonstrated monotonically increasing in their difficulties, which indicated the ordered category. Additionally, no differential item functioning was displayed in the DrVacCOVID-19S across Taiwanese and Ghanaian students.

Conclusions

The DrVacCOVID-19S has good psychometric features to help healthcare providers assess individuals’ (especially university students) motivations or drivers to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• Rasch
• psychometric testing
• vaccine hesitancy
• vaccination uptake

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

C-W Fan, J-S Chen, ES Adjaottor, F-M Addo, GB Amankwaah, DK Ahorsu, C-F Yen, and C-Y Lin contributed to the conception and design of the study; J-S Chen, ES Adjaottor, F-M Addo, GB Amankwaah, and DK Ahorsu organized the database; C-W Fan performed the statistical analysis; C-W Fan, J-S Chen, C-F Yhn, DK Ahorsu, and C-Y Lin interpreted the results; C-W Fan wrote the first draft of the manuscript; DK Ahorsu and C-Y Lin wrote sections of the manuscript; ES Adjaottor, J-S Chen, F-M Addo, GB Amankwaah, C-F Yen, DK Ahorsu, and C-Y Lin critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read, and approved the submitted version.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was funded by a research grant from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan [MOST109-2327-B-006-005] and a research grant from the Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital Cross-Institutions Fundrc[110-swf-01]