Psychological correlates of attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among Polish respondents – a snapshot study before the start of the massive vaccination campaign

Łukasz Jach

University of Silesia in Katowice
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8215-0795

Łukasz Lamża

Jagiellonian University
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1733-9337

Paulina Wardawy

University of Silesia in Katowice
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9135-9809


Abstrakt

Aim
COVID-19 vaccines are recognized as a way to stop the ongoing pandemic. However, for this method to be effective, it requires a high level of people’s willingness to be vaccinated. The aim of this study was to measure psychological aspects of attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 during the time when the vaccine was developed but not yet
distributed among Polish citizens.

Method
An online survey study was conducted on a sample of 468 Polish participants. We used questionnaires to measure attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine, fear of COVID, the general tendency to conspiracy ideation and conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19, knowledge
about vaccines, attitudes towards science, previous protective behaviors during pandemic, perceived infectability, and germ avoidance. We also tested the associations of attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine with participants’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, gender, age, and level of education.

Results
The analyses revealed correlations between attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine with most of the variables studied. A regression model with predictors such as fear of COVID, attitudes towards science, and conspiracy beliefs related to COVID-19, explained 46%
of the variance of the attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Male participants were more positive about the COVID-19 vaccine than female participants. Attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine were not related to participants’ personal experiences of pandemic,
age or level of education.

Conclusion
The obtained results show the importance of psychological aspects concerning attitudes towards vaccination, which can be considered in designing future preventive public interventions.


Słowa kluczowe:

attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, attitudes towards science, COVID-19 pandemic, psychological contexts of attitudes towards COVID-19 pandemic, conspiracist ideation


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Opublikowane
2021-12-29

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Jach, Łukasz, Lamża, Łukasz, & Wardawy, P. (2021). Psychological correlates of attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among Polish respondents – a snapshot study before the start of the massive vaccination campaign. Przegląd Psychologiczny, 64(3), 113–131. https://doi.org/10.31648/pp.7328

Łukasz Jach 
University of Silesia in Katowice
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8215-0795
Łukasz Lamża 
Jagiellonian University
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1733-9337
Paulina Wardawy 
University of Silesia in Katowice
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9135-9809