The complex landscape of vaccine hesitancy and hesitant adopters: Quantitative predictors and thematic insights into COVID-19 vaccine attitudes

Vaccine hesitancy is one of the top 10 threats to public health. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated vaccinations marked a watershed moment for vaccine hesitancy, with highly publicized anti-vaccine protests, and widespread misinformation and distrust of the novel vaccines. This mixed-method survey sought to provide a nuanced understanding of vaccine hesitancy and hesitant vaccine adopters in the context of the COVID-19 vaccination. N = 410 participants completed an online survey comprising a battery of psychometric measures of vaccine hesitancy, personality, conspiracy belief, and political affiliation. N = 134 participants, who identified as vaccine hesitant toward the novel vaccine, provided additional written qualitative responses detailing the reasons they were hesitant about accepting the COVID-19 vaccination. Quantitative findings point to higher hesitancy among males, those with high-school and undergraduate levels of education, mixed- and minoritized ethnic groups (Black, Asian), and those higher in Right-Wing Authoritarian and Conspiracy beliefs. Qualitative data unveiled six themes underpinning hesitancy: side-effect concerns; Covid risk perception; conspiracy and religious beliefs; psychological reactance against perceived coercion; a perceived lack of information; and distrust of Government/medical establishments. Crucially, an acknowledgment of the benefits of the vaccine, e.g. in terms of protecting others, distinguished vaccine hesitant adopters from refusers. Implications of the findings are discussed with a view to informing policy and public health campaigns targeting vaccine hesitant adopters.