The collective voice of early phase COVID-19 vaccine trial participants: Insights for improving confidence in novel vaccines

Figures & data

Figure 1. Respondents’ motivations for participating in COV001. (a) Respondents’ agreement with statements regarding altruistic and personal motivations. (b) Correlation between participants responses to individual altruistic and personal motivation statements (Kendall’s Tau). (c) Spread of responses to altruistic and personal motivation statements.

Responses to survey statements were coded numerically for analysis: Strongly disagree = −2; disagree = −1; neither agree nor disagree = 0; agree = 1; strongly agree = 2. For violin plot, thick black line inside boxes indicates median, box edges indicate lower and upper quartiles. Violin shape indicates proportion of data around each response.

Box 1. Participants’ comments regarding their motivations for participating in the COV001 vaccine trial.

“I honestly just wanted to do my bit. I work with young children and I see daily how much this pandemic has affected them and I truly believe that without a vaccine, that won’t improve.”

“I just wanted to do my very small bit to help the planet.”

“I lost a family member to COVID shortly before my vaccination and would not wish the experience of losing someone during this pandemic on anyone.”

“My reason for joining the trial was simple: I wanted to contribute in my own way to find a vaccine to defeat a global pandemic. We, the volunteers, are here because we recognize the importance of a vaccine breakthrough and for it to be made freely available for vulnerable people everywhere.”

Figure 2. How participants’ age affected their motivations and concerns about participating in COV001. (a) Younger people (under 25 and 25–34) were more likely to have personal motivations than older people. (b) Younger people (under 25) also reflected higher levels of concern about trial safety.

Data shown as percentages. Significance: Kruskal–Wallis chi-squared test, ** = p < .01, *** = p < .001.

Figure 3. Participants’ perceptions of risk relating to the trial: (a) Proportions of participants in agreement with statements regarding risk of participating in COV001. (b) Participant responses to statements regarding risk of participating in COV001. Responses to survey statements were coded numerically for analysis: strongly disagree = −2; disagree = −1; neither agree nor disagree = 0; agree = 1; strongly agree = 2. For box plot, thick black line indicates median, box edges indicate lower and upper quartiles.

Figure 4. Respondents’ trust in science (a) Respondents’ agreement with statements regarding COVID-19 and science. (b) Spread of responses to statements assessing trust in science.

Responses to survey statements were coded numerically for analysis: Strongly disagree = −2; disagree = −1; neither agree nor disagree = 0; agree = 1; strongly agree = 2. Violin shape indicates proportion of data around each response.