Vaccine hesitancy among college students and individuals seeking healthcare: A social norms perspective

Abstract

Objective. Health behavior research suggests that perceived social norms impact health decisions. This study aimed to (a) examine reasons for vaccine hesitancy among a sample of college students compared to a clinical sample (b) examine the accuracy of perceptions of others’ receptivity and intention to seek out the COVID-19 vaccine, and (c) determine whether greater self-other normative discrepancies (SODs) were associated with increased likelihood to seek out the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants. Participants included 227 students at a Northeastern private college and 140 patients seeking medical care. Methods. College students completed an online, anonymous survey. Patients completed a paper-and-pencil survey distributed at appointment check-in. Results. Compared to their perceptions of others, participants had more positive beliefs about vaccines. The most common reason prompting individuals to seek out the vaccine was to return to “normal life.” Conclusions. Future research might examine use of social norms interventions to decrease vaccine hesitancy.

Keywords:

• College students
• COVID-19
• primary care
• social norms
• vaccine hesitancy

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United States and received approval from the Guthrie Research Institution in Sayre, PA.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.

Figure 1. Percentage of respondents who endorsed reasons for seeking COVID-19 vaccine.

Figure 2. Reasons against seeking COVID-19 vaccine (%).