Determinants of vaccine hesitancy in Quebec: a large population-based survey

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of respondents according to vaccine hesitancy, Eastern Townships, 2014.

	Total (n = 8,737), n(%)	Vaccine-hesitant (n = 2,772), n (%)	Non-vaccine-hesitant (n = 5,840), n (%)	p-Value
Sex (n = 8,737)
Male	4,275 (48.9)	1,381 (49.8)	2,843 (48.7)	0.327
Age (n = 8,620)
18–29 y	1,650 (19.1)	513 (18.8)	1,130 (19.6)
30–49 y	2,494 (28.9)	751 (27.6)	1,712 (29.6)
50–64 y	2,637 (30.6)	857 (31.5)	1,734 (30.0)
≥65 y	1,840 (21.3)	601 (22.1)	1,203 (20.8)	0.120
Place of residence (n = 8,737)
Sherbrooke	4,840 (55.4)	1,413 (51.0)	3,357 (57.5)	<0.001
Education level (n = 8,697)
High school or less	2,951 (33.9)	1,180 (42.8)	1,723 (29.6)
College	2,802 (32.2)	887 (32.1)	1,879 (32.3)
University	2,944 (33.9)	693 (25.1)	2,211 (38.0)	<0.001
Annual household income (before income taxes) (n = 8,329)
<$30,000	2,257 (27.1)	928 (35.1)	1,295 (23.2)
$30,000–$79,000	3,908 (46.9)	1,230 (46.5)	2,623 (47.0)
≥$80,000	2,163 (26.0)	485 (18.4)	1,660 (29.8)	<0.001
Language spoken at home (n = 8,737)
French	8,134 (93.1)	2,659 (95.9)	5,353 (91.7)	<0.001
Household composition (n = 8,716)
Couple (with or without children)	5,345 (61.3)	1,572 (57.0)	3,705 (63.5)
Person living alone	2,076 (23.8)	741 (26.8)	1,288 (22.1)
Other (single-parent family, multiple families, and roommates)	1,295 (14.9)	447 (16.2)	840 (14.4)	<0.001

Table 2. Determinants of vaccine hesitancy, Eastern Townships, 2014 (Part 1 – HBM items).

(n = 4,954)	Multivariate regression
	aOR [95% CI]
Perceived knowledge about general vaccination
Perceived insufficient knowledge about vaccination in general	1.26 [1.04–1.51]*
Perceived necessity of general vaccination
Belief that a healthy lifestyle can eliminate the need for vaccination	2.48 [2.09–2.93]***
Belief that the use of alternative medicine practices can eliminate the need for vaccination	1.39 [1.16–1.68]***
Belief that children receive too many vaccines	2.72 [2.32–3.18]***
Perceived vulnerability to the flu
Belief about the risk of catching the flu	1.57 [1.36–1.83]***
Perceived severity of the flu
Belief that catching the flu does not cause severe health complications	1.09 [0.92–1.28]
Belief that catching the flu does not prevent daily activities	1.16 [0.97–1.39]
Perceived risks of the flu vaccine
Belief that the influenza vaccine causes side effects	1.34 [1.14–1.57]***
Belief that people vaccinated against the flu have a risk of getting this disease	1.18 [1.00–1.39]
Perceived benefits of the flu vaccine
Belief that the influenza vaccine can cause the flu	1.40 [1.20–1.63]***
Belief that getting vaccinated against the flu does not prevent its transmission to family members and relatives	1.19 [1.01–1.40]*
Subjective norm about the flu vaccine
Not having received a recommendation from a health-care professional to get vaccinated against the flu	0.95 [0.81–1.12]

*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001, bold value = p < 0.05.

Table 3. Determinants of vaccine hesitancy, Easter Townships, 2014 (Part 2 – Health-care consultations and life habits).

(n = 4,954)	Multivariate regression
	aOR [95% CI]
Health-care professional consultations (over the last 12 months) – Conventional medicine
Not having consulted a family doctor	0.99 [0.84–1.17]
Not having consulted a specialist	1.26 [1.08–1.48]**
Not having consulted a nurse	1.04 [0.88–1.22]
Not having consulted a pharmacist	0.96 [0.81–1.13]
Health-care professional consultations (over the last 12 months) – Alternative medicine
Having consulted a massage therapist	2.34 [1.46–3.75]***
Having consulted a naturopath	1.01 [0.37–2.74]
Having consulted an osteopath	1.31 [0.91–1.89]
Health status/life habits
BMI <30 kg/m^2	0.99 [0.82–1.20]
Self-perceived poor health status	1.07 [0.85–1.34]
Not being vaccinated against influenza	1.80 [1.49–2.16]***
Eating <5 daily servings of fruits or vegetables	0.99 [0.86–1.16]
Consuming ≥5 alcoholic drinks on one occasion per week	1.16 [0.92–1.46]
Smoking cigarettes	1.22 [1.01–1.47]*
Distrust in public health authorities
Not agree with the fluoridation of drinking water	1.40 [1.21–1.63]***

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, bold value = p < 0.05.

Table 4. Determinants of vaccine hesitancy, Eastern Townships, 2014 (Part 3 – Demographic and socioeconomic variables).

(n = 4,954)	Multivariate regression
	aOR [95% CI]
Demographic and socioeconomic variables
Place of residence: Sherbrooke	0.98 [0.84–1.14]
Education level: University	1.00
College	0.95 [0.78–1.15]
High school or less	1.17 [0.95–1.43]
Annual household income: ≥$80,000	1.00
$30,000–$79,000	1.37 [1.12–1.67]**
<$30,000	1.58 [1.24–2.02]***
Language spoken at home: French	1.48 [1.09–2.02]*
Household composition: Couple (with or without children)	1.00
Other (single-parent family, multiple families, and roommates)	0.87 [0.71–1.06]
Person living alone	0.90 [0.71–1.13]
Not living with a child aged <5 y old	1.26 [1.02–1.57]*
Not being a health-care professional	0.89 [0.64–1.22]

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, bold value = p < 0.05.