Vaccine willingness related to trust in state institutions-study

Interest in vaccination against covid is directly related to trust in the state and its institutions, according to a study, funded by a project of the National Institute SYRI, the results of which were announced today in a press release. The willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 increases with education and income, the study shows.

Researchers analyzed data from 1,677 respondents. "Building trust in government institutions is a long-term process. Given the unpredictable nature of some health risks, communication and other capacities need to be developed now and the long-term trust of the Czech population in public institutions needs to be systematically deepened. This will have a positive impact on the protection of public health as well as in other areas of public life in our country," said Jakub Hlávka from SYRI and the Faculty of Economics and Administration of Masaryk University in Brno.

Three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given to 42.7 percent of respondents, 30.4 percent of whom said they were willing to be re-vaccinated with another booster dose. According to Hlavka, 36.1 percent of men and 25.6 percent of women responded that they were willing to be vaccinated. The willingness, he said, correlates with education as 42 percent of men with university degree were interested in receiving an additional booster dose. Their willingness to get a booster vaccination decreases with lower education, he added.

"We observe a similar trend among women. The proportion of those willing to be vaccinated is on average lower. Among women with a university education, 29.7 percent are willing to undergo booster vaccination, which is ten percentage points lower than men with the same education. Only 27 percent of women with a secondary school diploma are willing to get the booster vaccine, while 20.8 percent of women with lower education are willing to get it," Hlávka noted.

Besides education, net household income also correlates with the decision to get vaccinated. People with a net monthly income exceeding 50,000 crowns are most willing to be vaccinated. As income decreases, their willingness to get vaccinated decreases as well.