Factors associated with receiving an initial COVID-19 vaccine among Alaskan residents: results from an online cross-sectional survey

Figures & data

Table 1. List of independent variables and scoring details.

Variables	Scoring
Belief in COVID Misinformation (BCM)	Score range: 0–8; High Score = High belief in COVID misinformation Cronbach’s α: 0.82 Factor Analysis: Component 1 Eigenvalue = 5.34, Component 2 Eigenvalue = 0.69, first factor accounts for 67% of the variance.
8 Items (1 point each): Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine reduces fertility Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine alters DNA Agree that Ivermectin treats COVID-19 Agree that hospitals overcount COVID deaths Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine tracks people Agree that SARSCOV2 virus was released from a laboratory in China Doesn’t agree that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective Doesn’t agree that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe
COVID Knowledge (CKN)	Score range: 0–7; High Score = High knowledge of COVID facts. Cronbach’s α: 0.74
7-Items (1 point each): Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended even if I’ve already had COVID Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine is free for everyone eligible Agree that washing hands can prevent COVID Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for children 5+ Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for pregnant people Agree that the COVID-19 vaccine has long-term health effects Agree that masks reduce COVID spread
Perceived Risk of Harm (PRH)	Score range: 0–4; High Score = High perceived risk of harm if not vaccinated Cronbach’s α: 0.89 Factor Analysis: Component 1 Eigenvalue = 3.03, Component 2 Eigenvalue = 0.68, first factor accounts for 76% of the variance.
4-Items (1 point each): Know of someone getting sick from COVID (not vaxxed) Agree that risk of harm of the COVID-19 vaccine not enough to warrant getting vaccinated Agree that family’s risk of harm from COVID not enough to warrant getting vaccinated Disagree that risk of harm from getting vaccinated higher than risk from getting COVID
Motivation not to get infected by COVID (MOT)	Score range: 0–4; High Score = High motivation not for self, family, and friends to get infected by COVID Cronbach’s α: 0.83 Factor Analysis: Component 1 Eigenvalue = 5.34, Component 2 Eigenvalue = 0.69, first factor accounts for 67% of the variance.
4-Items (1 point each): Passionate about not becoming infected by COVID Personal goal not to be ever infected by COVID Personal goal not to have family become infected by COVID Personal goal not to spread COVID to friends and family
Personal ability to get vaccinated (PAV)	Score range: 0–6; High Score = High self-efficacy to get vaccinated Cronbach’s α: 0.76 Factor Analysis: Component 1 Eigenvalue = 2.78, Component 2 Eigenvalue = 0.92, first factor accounts for 46% of the variance.
6-Items (1 point each): Know where to get the COVID-19 vaccine Able to use phone/internet to find the COVID-19 vaccine site Able to travel to place to get the COVID-19 vaccine Able to take time to get the COVID-19 vaccine Places where to get the COVID-19 vaccine open during available times the COVID-19 vaccine sites are easy to reach
Social Network Vaccinated (SNW)	Score range: 0–12; High Score = Most or all of respondents’ social network are vaccinated Cronbach’s α: 0.70 Factor Analysis: Component 1 Eigenvalue = 1.90, Component 2 Eigenvalue = 0.78, first factor accounts for 63% of the variance.
3-Items (4 points each): All of immediate family vaccinated All of closest friends vaccinated All of community members vaccinated

Table 2. Sample characteristics.

Demographic Characteristics			Alaska Population ^[Citation1]
Sex	Frequency	Percent or Mean (S.D.)	Percent
Male	388	42.6%	52.4%
Female	523	57.4%	47.6%
Education
< College degree	479	50.7%	69.4%
≥ College degree	465	49.3%	30.60%
Race/Ethnicity
Alaska Native/American Indian	115	12.1%	15.20%
Mixed and other racial/ethnic minorities ^[2]	159	16.8%	20.30%
Whites	639	67.4%	64.50%
Age
Mean	948	50.41 (16.42) ^[Citation3]	See note ^[4]
Annual Household Income
< $80,000	411	45.8%	See note ^[5]
≥ $80,000	486	54.2%
Marital Status
Not Married	531	44.0%	49.00%
Married	417	56.0%	51.00%
Political Ideology ^[6]
Liberal	318	34.5%	23.00%
Moderate	340	36.8%	37.00%
Conservative	265	28.7%	34.00%
Alaska Region
Anchorage	357	37.9%	39.70%
Gulf Coast	110	11.7%	11.10%
Interior	159	16.9%	14.00%
Matanuska-Susitna	120	12.7%	14.60%
Other (Northern, Southeast, Southwest) ^[7]	197	20.8%	20.60%
Ever Received COVID-19 Vaccine
Yes	754	80.2%	66.3% ^[8]
No	186	19.8%	33.70%

Note: ¹Demographic data on sex, education, race, age, annual household income, and marital status comes from the U.S. Census 2020 data, which was accessed on June 20, 2023 at https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/alaska-population-change-between-census-decade.html. Alaska population is 733,395.

²Included in this category were Blacks/African Americans, Asians, Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders, and those who identified as having multiple races/ethnicities. Each of these groups had less than 100 cases, thus they were aggregated.

³Study sample included only those 18 years old and above.

⁴Median age of Alaskans is 34.6 years, which includes children.

⁵Median annual household income of Alaskans is $80,287.

⁶Data on political ideology is not available in the U.S. Census. The statistics provided here is based on the national survey conducted by Pew Research conducted in 2014 (see: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/state/alaska/political-ideology/).

⁷This category included the Northern, Southeast, and Southwest Alaska regions. They were aggregated due to having less than 100 cases each.

⁸State data on COVID-19 vaccination comes from Alaska Department of Health, accessed on May 18, 2022 at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/AKDHSS/bulletins/3186532%20COVID–19%20DATA%20SUMMARY%20%E2%80%93%20May%2018,%202022.

Table 3. Comparisons of those who have ever received covid-19 vaccine versus those who have not.

	Unvaccinated	Vaccinated	p-value [1]
Sample Characteristics	Percent or Mean (S.D.)	Percent or Mean (S.D.)
Belief in COVID-19 Misinformation Score, n = 926	4.04 (1.87)	1.53 (1.73)	<0.001
COVID Knowledge Score, n = 940	3.39 (1.89)	5.63 (1.53)	<0.001
Perceived Risk of Harm, n = 914	0.65 (0.95)	3.36 (1.13)	<0.001
Motivation not to get infected by COVID-19, n = 916	1.67 (1.21)	2.61 (1.17)	<0.001
Personal ability to get vaccinated, n = 933	5.37 (1.34)	5.79 (0.74)	<0.001
Social Network Vaccinated, n = 940	4.79 (2.27)	9.10 (1.62)	<0.001
Sex
Male, n = 336	17.1%38.8%	82.943.6%	0.26
Female, n = 518	20.1%	79.9%
Age
Age (continuous), n = 940	44.03 (15.40)	52.03 (16.26)	<0.001
Education
< College degree, n = 475	29.174.2%	70.944.9%	<0.001
≥ College degree, n = 461	10.4%	89.6%
Race/Ethnicity
Alaska Native/American Indian, n = 115	25.216.5%	74.811.8%	<0.01
Mixed and other racial/ethnic minorities, n = 159	26.423.9%	73.616.0%
Whites, n = 623	16.6%	83.4%
Income
< $80,000 income/year, n = 411	25.359.1%	74.742.9%	<0.001
≥ $80,000 income/year, n = 481	15.0%	85.0%
Marital Status
Not married, n = 415	25.356.5%	74.741.1%	<0.001
Married, n = 525	15.443.5%	84.658.9%
Political Ideology			<0.001
Liberal, n = 318	4.4%	95.6%
Moderate, n = 337	18.7%	81.3%
Conservative, n = 261	38.3%	61.7%
Alaska Region			<0.001
Anchorage, n = 352	17.0%	83.0%
Gulf Coast, n = 109	26.6%	73.4%
Interior, n = 157	20.4%	79.6%
Matanuska-Susitna, n = 120	32.5%	67.5%
Other (Northern Southeast, and Southwest), n = 197	13.2%	86.8%

ⁱNote that mean values were calculated for the continuous variables and tested for significant differences between groups using student’s t-test, while percentages were calculated for the categorical variables and tested for significant differences between groups using chi-square test.

Table 4. Logistic regression analysis identifying factors associated with ever receiving covid-19 vaccine, n = 777¹.

Variables	Odds Ratio (OR): Vaccinated	95% Confidence Interval
Independent Variables
COVID-19 Misinformation Score	0.92	0.73–1.17
COVID-19Knowledge Score	1.17	0.92–1.46
Perceived Risk of Harm	3.42***	2.39–4.90
Motivation not to get infected by COVID-19	0.94	0.67–1.32
Personal ability to get vaccinated	1.32	0.90–1.94
Social Network Vaccinated	2.15***	1.74–2.66
Demographic Variables
Sex
Male (vs. Female)	4.55***	1.95–10.63
Age
Age (continuous)	1.02	0.99–1.05
Race/Ethnicity
Alaska Native/American Indian (vs. Whites)	1.56	0.49–5.01
Mixed and other racial/ethnic minorities (vs. Whites)	0.74	0.29–1.91
Education
≥ College degree (vs. <College degree)	2.80*	1.18–6.63
Annual Household Income
≥ $80,000 income/year (vs. < $80,000 income/year)	0.94	0.39–2.27
Marital Status
Married (vs. Not Married)	1.98	0.88–4.49
Political Ideology
Liberal (vs. Conservative)	0.94	0.26–3.34
Moderate (vs. Conservative)	1.40	0.58–3.36
Alaska Region
Gulf Coast (vs. Anchorage)	0.50	0.17–1.48
Interior (vs. Anchorage)	0.94	0.33–2.69
Matanuska-Susitna (vs. Anchorage)	0.79	0.23–2.70
Northern (vs. Anchorage)	1.94	0.61–6.10
Constant
?0 = −10.23	0.00***
Hosmer-Lemeshow Test: X [2] = 2.11, 8 df, p > 0.05). Nagelkerke R^2 = 0.80; Cox & Snell R^2 = 0.48

Note. ¹Sample was truncated to n = 777 because of small non-response to various survey questions (see Table 3).

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

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Data availability statement

The data associated with this study may be shared with investigator and institutional approval.