Predicting Vaccine Confidence: Patient Self-advocacy and Fear of COVID-19 in the United States

ABSTRACT This study investigated the extent to which patient self-advocacy predicted COVID-19 vaccine hesitance in the U.S. (n = 1987). Results indicated being vaccinated, increasing age, and higher education were each positively related to increased vaccine non-hesitance. Also, those who sought more information and who were more assertive about their health had more non-hesitance toward the vaccine. Higher vaccine hesitance was found among participants who were Black and from other ethnic minorities, those who voted for Donald Trump or who did not vote in the 2020 election, and those who were more prone to nonadherence to health provider instructions. Targeted communication campaigns to connect to people with these specific characteristics and levels of advocacy can decrease vaccine non-hesitance.