Is It All a Conspiracy? Conspiracy Theories and People’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccination
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
- (1)
- The Chinese public’s attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines and their intention to get vaccinated.
- (2)
- The Chinese public’s perceptions of COVID-19 vaccinations in China (including perception of risk, effectiveness, safety, and accessibility perception).
- (3)
- The Chinese public’s knowledge about COVID-19 vaccinations and their scientific literacy.
- (4)
- The Chinese public’s awareness of and belief in conspiracy theories.
2.2. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Demographic Characteristics
3.2. Intention to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
3.3. Conspiracy Beliefs
3.4. Scientific Literacy and Vaccine Knowledge
3.5. The Association among Conspiracy Theory Beliefs, Knowledge, and Intention to Get Vaccinated
4. Discussion and Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | % (n) |
---|---|
Age | |
18–29 | 22.3 (421) |
30–39 | 26.2 (496) |
40–49 | 26.9 (509) |
50–59 | 24.6 (464) |
Gender | |
Male | 51.0 (964) |
Female | 49.0 (926) |
Education Level | |
Junior high school and below | 12.7 (240) |
Senior high school | 17.8 (336) |
Junior college education | 34.6 (654) |
College degree | 32.8 (620) |
Postgraduate and above | 2.1 (40) |
Monthly Income | |
3000 or less | 26.1 (493) |
3001–5000 | 36.8 (696) |
5001–10,000 | 29.5 (558) |
10,001–20,000 | 6.3 (120) |
More than 20,000 | 1.2 (23) |
Question: If You Have Not Received the COVID-19 Vaccine, Please Make your Judgement on the Following Statements: | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totally Disagree | Disagree | A Little Disagree | Neutral | A Little Agree | Agree | Totally Agree | |
I will probably get the COVID-19 vaccines this year. | 1.2% (23) | 1.2% (22) | 1.6% (30) | 21.2% (401) | 12.3% (233) | 27.6% (521) | 34.9% (660) |
I plan to get the COVID-19 vaccines this year. | 1.3% (25) | 1.0% (18) | 1.5% (29) | 19.6% (371) | 10.7% (203) | 29.8% (564) | 36.0% (680) |
Question: If You Plan to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine and Can Decide When to Get It for Yourself, Please Make Your Judgement on the Following Statements: | |||||||
I plan to get the COVID-19 vaccines immediately. | 4.1% (78) | 2.6% (50) | 3.5% (67) | 48.1% (909) | 9.5% (180) | 21.6% (408) | 10.5% (198) |
I plan to get the COVID-19 vaccines within 1 month. | 4.3% (82) | 3.5% (67) | 5.3% (101) | 23.2% (438) | 11.1% (209) | 20.7% (392) | 31.8% (601) |
I plan to get the COVID-19 vaccines within 3 months. | 8.9% (168) | 6.5% (123) | 6.8% (129) | 42.0% (793) | 15.2% (287) | 17.4% (328) | 3.3% (62) |
I plan to wait and see before deciding when to get the COVID-19 vaccines. | 9.3% (176) | 11.5% (217) | 8.3% (157) | 40.3% (761) | 11.0% (207) | 14.0% (265) | 5.7% (107) |
Question: To What Extent Do You Agree with the Following Statements? | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totally Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Totally Agree | |
COVID-19 Conspiracy Theory Beliefs | |||||
COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness data are often fabricated by pharmaceutical companies. | 41.5% (784) | 17.0% (322) | 22.0% (416) | 10.3% (195) | 9.2% (173) |
The Cov-SARS-2 came out of foreign military laboratories. | 31.1% (587) | 13.2% (249) | 35.8% (676) | 9.2% (173) | 10.8% (205) |
The Cov-SARS-2 originated from a virus research institute in Wuhan. | 59.6% (1127) | 13.4% (254) | 21.5% (406) | 4.4% (84) | 1.0% (19) |
In October 2019, foreign athletes infected with the Cov-SARS-2 came to Wuhan to participate in the Military Games, which led to the spread of new crown pneumonia. | 33.3% (630) | 13.6% (257) | 34.2% (647) | 8.8% (167) | 10.0% (189) |
5G technology helps spread the Cov-SARS-2. | 61.0% (1153) | 9.4% (177) | 14.1% (267) | 7.4% (139) | 8.1% (154) |
The type of Cov-SARS-2 in the United States appeared earlier, indicating that the United States is more likely to be the source of the virus. | 25.0% (473) | 11.2% (212) | 22.1% (418) | 15.6% (294) | 26.1% (493) |
Vaccine-Related Conspiracy Theories | |||||
Vaccine’s effectiveness data are often fabricated by pharmaceutical companies. | 41.5% (784) | 17.0% (322) | 22.0% (416) | 10.3% (195) | 9.2% (173) |
The government often conceals the safety deficiencies of vaccines. | 43.0% (813) | 18.1% (342) | 22.3% (421) | 9.3% (175) | 7.4% (139) |
Pharmaceutical companies cover up the danger of vaccines. | 42.3% (817) | 17.4% (329) | 22.0% (415) | 9.2% (174) | 8.2% (155) |
People are often deceived about the effectiveness of the vaccines. | 44.1% (834) | 15.2% (288) | 21.7% (410) | 9.7% (184) | 9.2% (174) |
The fact that vaccines are harmful for children is deliberately obscured. | 54.1% (1023) | 13.3% (252) | 18.3% (346) | 6.2% (118) | 8.0% (151) |
General Scientific Questions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Question: Two Scientists Want to Know Whether a Drug for High Blood Pressure Is Effective. The First Scientist Distributed the Drug to 1000 Patients with Hypertension, and then Observed How Many Patients Had Their Blood Pressure Decreased. The Second Scientist Divided the Patients into Two Groups. The First Group of 500 Patients with Hypertension Took Medicine, While the Other Group of 500 Patients Did Not Take Medicine. Then, He Observed How the Blood Pressure Decreased in the Two Groups. Which of the Two Scientists Is More Effective in Testing the Effect of Drugs? | First One | Second One | I Do Not Know |
14.2% (269) | 69.9% (1322) | 15.8% (299) | |
Question: The doctor told a couple that, because they have the same morbid genes, if they give birth to a child, the child’s chance of genetic disease is 1 in 4. Do you think the following statement is correct? | Wrong | Correct | I do Not know |
If they have three children, none of them will get genetic diseases. | 61.5% (1162) | 8.3% (156) | 30.2% (572) |
If their first child has a genetic disease, the next three children will not have a genetic disease. | 61.6% (1165) | 9.1% (171) | 29.3% (554) |
If the first three children are healthy, the fourth child must have a genetic disease. | 59.5% (1124) | 8.9% (169) | 31.6% (597) |
Their children may have genetic diseases. | 14.8% (280) | 56.8% (1073) | 28.4% (537) |
Question: Do You Think the Following Statement Is Correct? | |||
Cov-SARS-2 can cause SARS and pneumonia, but it will not cause colds. | 55.2% (1042) | 10.0% (190) | 34.8% (658) |
Electrons are smaller than atoms. | 23.0% (435) | 31.0% (585) | 46.0% (870) |
The mother’s genes determine whether the child is a boy or a girl. | 71.4% (1350) | 7.6% (144) | 21.0% (396) |
Lasers are produced by converging sound waves. | 22.2% (419) | 17.8% (336) | 60.0% (1135) |
Antibiotics (such as penicillin, streptomycin, or cephalosporin) can kill both bacteria and viruses. | 34.5% (746) | 24.9% (471) | 35.6% (673) |
If you eat genetically modified fruit, human genes may change. | 49.7% (940) | 13.4% (291) | 34.9% (659) |
Vaccine-Related Questions (Vaccine Literacy) | |||
We do not necessarily need a vaccine because diseases can always be cured. | 77.2% (1460) | 2.3% (44) | 20.4% (386) |
Smallpox will not be eradicated unless vaccines are widely used. | 15.8% (298) | 57.1% (1080) | 27.1% (512) |
If many vaccines are given too early, children’s immune system will not develop normally. | 44.7% (844) | 16.7% (315) | 38.6% (731) |
Vaccination does not increase the incidence of allergies. | 36.1% (682) | 15.4% (291) | 48.5% (917) |
If children are not vaccinated so much, they will be more resistant to disease. | 61.6% (1165) | 9.3% (176) | 29.1% (549) |
Autism, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes may be caused by vaccination. | 54.1% (1022) | 8.1% (154) | 37.8% (714) |
Variable | Intention to COVID-19 Vaccination | ||
---|---|---|---|
Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | |
p | p | p | |
Demographic Factors | |||
Gender (ref. female) Male | −0.039 | −0.032 | −0.023 |
Age | 0.033 | 0.040 | 0.039 |
Education (ref. primary/lower secondary) | |||
Upper secondary | 0.052 | 0.017 | 0.019 |
Junior college | 0.088 * | 0.061 | 0.061 |
Undergraduate degree | 0.152 *** | 0.079 * | 0.077 * |
Postgraduate degree | −0.003 | −0.023 | −0.023 |
Income | 0.059 * | 0.038 | 0.041 |
Attitude | 0.260 *** | 0.249 *** | |
Knowledge Factors | |||
Science knowledge | 0.037 | 0.012 | |
Vaccine knowledge | 0.196 *** | 0.177 *** | |
Conspiracy Belief Factors | |||
COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs: COVID-19’s foreign origin | 0.038 | ||
COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs: China as culprit | −0.009 | ||
Vaccine conspiracy theory beliefs | −0.118 ** | ||
Model Statistics | |||
Adjusted R2 | 0.016 | 0.144 | 0.154 |
ΔR2 | 0.020 | 0.129 | 0.011 |
ΔF | 5.469 *** | 94.778 *** | 8.114 *** |
Model F | 5.469 *** | 32.834 *** | 27.416 *** |
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Yang, Z.; Luo, X.; Jia, H. Is It All a Conspiracy? Conspiracy Theories and People’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccination. Vaccines 2021, 9, 1051. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9101051
Yang Z, Luo X, Jia H. Is It All a Conspiracy? Conspiracy Theories and People’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccination. Vaccines. 2021; 9(10):1051. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9101051
Chicago/Turabian StyleYang, Zheng, Xi Luo, and Hepeng Jia. 2021. "Is It All a Conspiracy? Conspiracy Theories and People’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccination" Vaccines 9, no. 10: 1051. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9101051