The Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano approved a research protocol (CE 2023 28) for the International sofas collection on vaccination protocols. The protocol was approved in accordance with ethical guidelines and regulations set by the IRB. The study aimed to investigate the level of perceived health literacy and its impact on vaccination behavior.
The sample included 1,713 respondents, representing 35% of the survey population, with a high response rate. The interviewee self-reported vaccination history, frequencies, percentages, and reasons for vaccination. The key variables measured includedominated understanding of vaccination procedures, uncertainty regarding vaccine safety or efficacy, and perceived effectiveness of the vaccines.
Self-perceived health literacy was a critical focus, measured by three items assessing the ability to identify risks and benefits of vaccination.Respondents engaged in either selfTap perception of health literacy and the self-perception of vaccination risks. The sample distribution showed significant variability in responses across the 20-item battery, with a range of misunderstandings reported.
Attitudes toward vaccination were categorized into perceived benefits and perceived risks. Perceived benefits were positively linked to vaccination knowledge and were influenced by perceived risks. Perceived risks, however, were strongly negatively correlated with vaccination knowledge. This led to the development of a three-component attitude measure, combining benefits and risks.
Behavioral outcomes were analyzed throughnumber of vaccinations received and willingness to recommend vaccination. Both variables were significantly influenced by objective knowledge, subjective state, and the net uncertainty of knowledge. The net uncertainty measure, designed to predict misinformation, enhanced the predictive power of objective knowledge in explaining perceived benefits and risks.
The study found that higher objective knowledge was strongly associated with more positive perceived benefits and higher overall vaccination transparency. However, there was no significant interaction between objective knowledge and subjective literacy, suggesting that self-perceived risks might not significantly impact these effects. The results showed a marginal interaction between objective knowledge and net uncertainty, with higher level of misinformation being a significant factor in influencing perceived benefits rather than risks.
The findings were consistent with previous studies on vaccination adherence, with higher perceived benefits and lower perceived susceptibility linked to greater overall vaccination knowledge. However, the impact of misinformation was found to vary across respondent groups, with those experience higher rates of misinformation reporting lower perceived benefits compared to less informed individuals.
Overall, the study provides insights into the complex interplay between knowledge, perception, and behavior in the context of vaccination. The results highlight the importance of self-perceived health literacy and the potential role of perceived risk in shaping vaccination behaviors. The findings also underscore the need for further research to explore the link between misinformation and vaccination adherence.