RT Journal Article
T1 Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in older Portuguese adults
A1 Silva, Tânia Magalhães
A1 Estrela, Marta
A1 Roque, Vítor
A1 Gomes, Eva Rebelo
A1 Figueiras Guzmán, Adolfo
A1 Roque, Fátima
A1 Herdeiro, Maria Teresa Ferreira
K1 COVID-19
K1 Portugal
K1 Hesitancy
K1 Older adults
K1 Older people
K1 Vaccination
AB Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has become a public-health emergency of international concern. Most efforts to contain the spread and transmission of the virus rely on campaigns and interventions targeted to reduce Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal (VHR).Objective: this study aims to assess the major factors associated with VHR in the older population in Portugal.Methods: a nation-wide cross-sectional study was conducted in the older Portuguese population (≥65 years old) through computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the independent variables (perceptions, knowledge and attitudes) and of the outcome (VHR).Results: the response rate was 60.1% (602/1,001). Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes were strongly associated with VHR probability. A 1-point Likert scale increase in concerns about the vaccines' efficacy and safety increased the risk of VHR by 1.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-6.28) and 3.13 (95%CI: 2.08-8.22), respectively. A reduction of VHR probability for 'reliability of the information released by social media' (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.16-0.70) and for 'trust in national and international competent authorities' (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.17-0.69) is also observed per 1-point increase.Conclusions: as VHR seems to be strongly associated with perceptions, knowledge and attitudes, the design and promotion of vaccination campaigns/educational interventions specifically targeted at changing these potentially modifiable determinants may help to tackle COVID-19 VHR and achieve a wider vaccine coverage.
PB Oxford Academic
SN 1468-2834
YR 2022
FD 2022-03-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/45363
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/45363
LA eng
NO Silva TM, Estrela M, Roque V, Gomes ER, Figueiras A, Roque F, Herdeiro MT. Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in older Portuguese adults. Age Ageing. 2022 Mar 1;51(3):afac013. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afac013. PMID: 35258520; PMCID: PMC8992312.
NO This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Age and Ageing following peer review. The version of record [insert complete citation information here] is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afac013
DS Minerva
RD 28 abr 2026