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This study aimed to assess the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination and associated factors among people with chronic diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between May and August 2021. A sample of 457 Thai adults living with one or more chronic diseases was drawn from a larger online survey. Results: Participants were 19 to 89 years old. The three most commonly reported chronic diseases were hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. The acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination was 89.1%. Forty-six percent of respondents had received the COVID-19 vaccination, and 43.1% intended to get the vaccine. Reasons for vaccine hesitancy/refusal included concerns about adverse side effects from the vaccines including long-term effects that might complicate their disease condition. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that having a bachelor's degree or higher [aOR 4.40; 95% CI: 2.12– 9.14], being employed [aOR 2.11; 95% CI: 1.03– 4.39], and having positive attitudes [aOR 2.36; 95% CI: 1.69– 3.29] and negative attitudes [aOR 0.38; 95% CI: 0.27– 0.55] predicted acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine literacy was significantly associated with acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in binary logistic regression analyses, but it was not retained in the multiple logistic regression model. Conclusion: Vaccine literacy and attitudes influence acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in people with chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Vaccination is the most effective way to fight communicable diseases. Encouraging vaccine literacy is crucial for promoting COVID-19 vaccination. We aimed to assess vaccine literacy among those who did not complete the recommended COVID-19 vaccine schedule. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ankara Province's Çankaya District between March and May 2022. Individuals (n=252 315) who had received two COVID-19 vaccine doses but not the third by February 2022 were identified. Using a 99% confidence interval, α=0.05, and d=5%, the sample size was determined as 636, assuming a 40% inadequate COVID-19 vaccine literacy rate. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic details, COVID-19 history, and reasons for vaccine delay and the second part contained items from the COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy Scale. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used in the univariate analysis of the obtained data, and multiple linear regression analysis was used in the multivariate analysis. Results: 62% of the participants were female, aged 21 to 94, with a mean (SD) age of 51.0 (±13.6) and a median of 52. 52.8% (n=317) had no prior COVID-19 history. Unmarried individuals and those under 40 scored lower in functional and communicative/critical skills. Those who had seasonal flu vaccine had higher scores in functional skills, while non-COVID-19 cases had higher scores in communicative/critical skills and overall scale. 87.7% (n=526) chose CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences, Beijing, China) for the first two COVID-19 doses. Reasons for missing the booster dose included "breastfeeding/pregnancy", "lack of follow-up opportunity", and "previous COVID-19 contraction". Conclusion: Encouraging vaccination against COVID-19 and increasing health literacy levels is recommended so that individuals can understand misinformation and inaccurate data in the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Vaccination is one of the most economic and effective strategies for preventing infectious diseases. However, public intention to be vaccinated is, to a certain degree, influenced by issues related to vaccine hesitancy, anti-vaccine movement, and public concerns about safety and adverse effects. Vaccine literacy is considered as a positive factor in improving vaccination intention, however, the correlation between vaccine literacy and vaccination intention has not been thoroughly investigated in mainland China. This study aims to (1) explore the correlation between vaccine literacy and vaccination intention among adults in mainland China; (2) investigate whether participants could seek out vaccine information on their own initiative and whether they knew basic information of common vaccines. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was conducted on 614 adult participants from 27 May to 8 June 2023 by a convenience sampling. Data were collected by using the questionnaire of demographic characteristics, vaccine literacy, vaccination intention, initiative of seeking out vaccine information, and basic vaccine quiz about common vaccines. Data were analyzed by using IBM SPSS version 24.0 at a significance level of 0.05. Results The mean scores of functional, and interactive-critical vaccine literacy were 2.97 ± 0.70 and 2.73 ± 0.66; the vaccination intentions of influenza, hepatitis B, COVID-19 and HPV were 58.5%, 80.0%, 71.3% and 62.9% respectively; interactive-critical vaccine literacy was significantly and positively associated with vaccination intention. The results also showed: 71.4% of the participants could seek out vaccine information on their own initiative, however, a certain proportion of the participants merely knew vaccine names and did not know basic information of common vaccines, especially influenza vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine. Conclusions There is still room for improvement in vaccine literacy, vaccination intention of influenza and HPV vaccines, and basic vaccine information. Based on the significantly positive correlation between interactive-critical vaccine literacy and vaccination intention, it is advisable to harness vaccine literacy to boost vaccination intention by communicating and learning basic information of common vaccines.

Objectives: The present study aimed to assess influenza vaccine hesitancy and vaccine literacy levels among youth and adults in China, as well as the association between them. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in Mainland China. Participants' total vaccine literacy and three sub-dimension vaccine literacy (knowledge literacy, competence literacy, and decision-making literacy) were assessed by a validated vaccine literacy scale. Having received influenza vaccination in the past three years or intending to accept it in next influenza season indicates less influenza vaccine hesitancy. Results: Among 997 participants, a sub-optimal vaccine literacy was observed, with a mean score of 66.83 ± 10.27. Regression models 1-4 revealed that participants with middle (aOR: 1.431, P=0.039, 95% CI: 1.018~2.010) or high (aOR: 1.651, P=0.006, 95% CI: 1.157~2.354) total vaccine literacy, as well as those with high competence literacy (aOR: 1.533, P=0.017, 95% CI: 1.079~2.180), or high decision-making literacy (aOR: 1.822, P=0.001, 95% CI: 1.261~2.632) were more likely to have been vaccinated against influenza at least once in past three years. However, those with a high knowledge literacy were associated with a lower influenza vaccine rate (aOR: 0.676, P=0.046, 95% CI: 0.460~0.994). Regression models 5-8 revealed that participants with middle (aOR: 1.661, P=0.008, 95% CI: 1.142~2.414) or high total vaccine literacy (aOR: 2.645, P=0.000, 95% CI: 1.774~3.942), as well as those with middle (aOR: 1.703, P=0.005, 95% CI: 1.177~2.464) or high competence literacy (aOR: 2.346, P=0.000, 95% CI: 1.159~3.461), or high decision-making literacy (aOR: 2.294, P=0.000, 95% CI: 1.531~3.436) were more likely to express the willingness to receive the influenza vaccine in the next influenza season. Conclusion: The participants' influenza vaccine hesitancy was negatively associated with their total vaccine literacy levels and two of the three subdimensions: competence literacy and decision-making literacy. Knowledge literacy suggested a positive or no relationship with influenza vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccination is one of the most economic and effective strategies for preventing infectious diseases. However, public intention to be vaccinated is, to a certain degree, influenced by issues related to vaccine hesitancy, anti-vaccine movement, and public concerns about safety and adverse effects. Vaccine literacy is considered as a positive factor in improving vaccination intention, however, the correlation between vaccine literacy and vaccination intention has not been thoroughly investigated in mainland China. This study aims to (1) explore the correlation between vaccine literacy and vaccination intention among adults in mainland China; (2) investigate whether participants could seek out vaccine information on their own initiative and whether they knew basic information of common vaccines. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted on 614 adult participants from 27 May to 8 June 2023 by a convenience sampling. Data were collected by using the questionnaire of demographic characteristics, vaccine literacy, vaccination intention, initiative of seeking out vaccine information, and basic vaccine quiz about common vaccines. Data were analyzed by using IBM SPSS version 24.0 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean scores of functional, and interactive-critical vaccine literacy were 2.97 ± 0.70 and 2.73 ± 0.66; the vaccination intentions of influenza, hepatitis B, COVID-19 and HPV were 58.5%, 80.0%, 71.3% and 62.9% respectively; interactive-critical vaccine literacy was significantly and positively associated with vaccination intention. The results also showed: 71.4% of the participants could seek out vaccine information on their own initiative, however, a certain proportion of the participants merely knew vaccine names and did not know basic information of common vaccines, especially influenza vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine. Conclusions: There is still room for improvement in vaccine literacy, vaccination intention of influenza and HPV vaccines, and basic vaccine information. Based on the significantly positive correlation between interactive-critical vaccine literacy and vaccination intention, it is advisable to harness vaccine literacy to boost vaccination intention by communicating and learning basic information of common vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination is the most efficient and cost-effective public health intervention. Prison population, for its low social distancing, constant turnover, and high percentage of migrants, should be an important target of vaccination campaign. However, vaccination coverage in prison is low. In this study we estimated vaccine hesitancy and vaccine literacy among the prison population and staff and assessed their correlation.We conducted a cross-sectional study in 13 prisons of 4 European countries. The sample included 847 people living in prison and 755 staff members. Through a structured questionnaire we assessed vaccine hesitancy, vaccine literacy, general health literacy, previous vaccine refusal and socio-demographic characteristics of participants. Exploratory factor analysis was used to extract three components of vaccine hesitancy. Logistic regression was applied to assess the association between previous vaccine refusal and vaccine hesitancy; linear regression was applied to assess the association between vaccine hesitancy and vaccine and general health literacy. All analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic variables.We identified three components of vaccine hesitancy explaining 49% of the total variance: Mistrust, Concern and Conspiracy. In both people living in prison and staff, all the components were associated to previous vaccine refusal (p-value

Health literacy (HL), including related vaccination, is an important health determinant. For the working population, it helps to maintain and improve their ability to work. Despite the clear benefits of vaccination, vaccine confidence has recently declined worldwide, which may lead to decreased vaccination coverage and a renewal of infectious diseases. Based on this, increasing the level of public health, including vaccination issues, is one of the preventive medicine tasks. Staff groups seem to be an effective place for implementing measures to improve the health and vaccination prevention of the working population.Aim. To assess the level of public health, including vaccination issues, among the working Russian population using digital technologies.Material and methods. The study was conducted online and included employees filling out a questionnaire on their own. The results were posted on the Atria digital platform, which is a tool for assessing and implementing corporate programs to improve employee health. HL was assessed using the updated 2019 Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS19-Q) adapted into Russian and validated. The study lasted 18 months (from December 2022 to May 2024).Results. A total of 58357 employees took part in the study on the Atria digital platform to assess the public health level, of which 47044 (80,6%) were women. In general, workers had a predominantly excellent HL (n=39637, 67,9%), while in women it was 69,4% (n=32644). The insufficient HL varied slightly among workers of different age groups. The fewest workers with an excellent HL were recorded in the age group of 40-49 years (65,4%, n=11857), and the most among workers >60 years old (74,2%, n=3573). The study found that 43,3% of men and 56,2% of women are vaccinated against influenza annually. Among those workers who are vaccinated against influenza annually, the highest HL rate was recorded among workers >60 years of age (63,4%, n=4188), and the lowest among workers

Vaccine literacy (VL) is an important part of health literacy (HL), which is of great significance in reducing vaccine hesitancy and improving vaccine coverage rate. We aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis of VL research conducted from 1982 to 2023 to evaluate its current status and prospects. All relevant publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database and the Scopus database. The Bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer software were used to analyze the publication outputs, countries, organizations, authors, journals, cited publications, and keywords. In total, 1,612 publications were included. The number of articles published on VL generally showed an increasing trend. The United States was in a leading position among all countries and had the closest connections with other countries and organizations. Its in-depth study of vaccine hesitancy provided a good foundation for VL research. Harvard University was the most productive organization. Bonaccorsi G was the most productive and cited author. VACCINES was the most productive journal. Research topics primarily revolved around vaccination, HL, vaccine hesitancy, and COVID-19 vaccine. In conclusion, the current research on the conceptual connotation and influencing factors of VL is insufficiently deep and should be further improved in the future to distinguish it from HL in a deeper manner. More tools for measuring VL need to be developed, such as those applicable to different populations and vaccines. The more complex relationship between VL, vaccine hesitancy and vaccination needs to be further explored. Gender differences deserve further investigation.

ABSTRACTThis review quantified the association of vaccine literacy (VL) and vaccination intention and status. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched. Any study, published until December 2022, that investigated the associations of interest were eligible. For each outcome, articles were grouped according to the vaccine administrated and results were narratively synthesized. Inverse-variance random-effect models were used to compare standardized mean values in VL domain(s) between the two groups: individuals willing vs. unwilling to get vaccinated, and individuals vaccinated vs. unvaccinated. This review of 18 studies shows that VL strongly predicts the vaccination intention while its association with vaccination status is attenuated and barely significant, suggesting that other factors influence the actual vaccination uptake. However, given the scarce evidence available, the heterogeneity in the methods applied and some limitations of the studies included, further research should be conducted to confirm the role of VL in the vaccination decision-making process.

Vaccine literacy (VL) is the ability to find, understand, and evaluate vaccination-related information to make appropriate decisions about immunization. The tools developed so far for its evaluation have produced consistent results. However, some dimensions may be underestimated due to the complexity of factors influencing VL. Moreover, the heterogeneity of methods used in studies employing these tools hinders a comprehensive understanding of its role even more. To overcome these limitations, a path has been sought to propose new instruments. This has necessitated updating earlier literature reviews on VL and related tools, exploring its relationship with vaccine hesitancy (VH), and examining associated variables like beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors towards immunization. Based on the current literature, and supported by the re-analysis of a dataset from an earlier study, we propose a theoretical framework to serve as the foundation for creating future assessment tools. These instruments should not only evaluate the psychological factors underlying the motivational aspect of VL, but also encompass knowledge and competencies. The positioning of VL in the framework at the intersection between sociodemographic antecedents and attitudes, leading to behaviors and outcomes, explains why and how VL can directly or indirectly influence vaccination decisions by countering VH and operating at personal, as well as at organizational and community levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine distribution gains traction in Europe and Italy, healthcare workers (HCWs) can strategize about vaccine promotion to increase uptake among patients at risk of RSV consequences, such cardiac patients. This cross-sectional survey investigated the knowledge about and attitude towards RSV and RSV vaccines, and the intention to recommend vaccination within a cardiological hospital in Italy. To explore factors associated with the outcomes of interest, multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Of 197 invited HCWs, 78.2% returned the survey. The knowledge about market authorisation for new RSV vaccines for older adults (present in 46.9% of respondents) was significantly associated with the HCWs’ age, education, and previous update on vaccinations. HCWs with a higher educational level and those with a positive attitude towards RSV vaccines safety reported a higher attitude towards the importance of vaccinating people at risk. The willingness of recommending RSV vaccination to patients (70.5% of respondents) was more likely in HCWs who were knowledgeable about market authorisation for RSV vaccines and in physicians. This tempestive research sheds light on current factors influencing the strategies of cardiac HCWs regarding RSV vaccination. The results suggest the need for training events on the protective role of RSV vaccination in cardiac patients.

As respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine distribution gains traction in Europe and Italy, healthcare workers (HCWs) can strategize about vaccine promotion to increase uptake among patients at risk of RSV consequences, such cardiac patients. This cross-sectional survey investigated the knowledge about and attitude towards RSV and RSV vaccines, and the intention to recommend vaccination within a cardiological hospital in Italy. To explore factors associated with the outcomes of interest, multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Of 197 invited HCWs, 78.2% returned the survey. The knowledge about market authorisation for new RSV vaccines for older adults (present in 46.9% of respondents) was significantly associated with the HCWs' age, education, and previous update on vaccinations. HCWs with a higher educational level and those with a positive attitude towards RSV vaccines safety reported a higher attitude towards the importance of vaccinating people at risk. The willingness of recommending RSV vaccination to patients (70.5% of respondents) was more likely in HCWs who were knowledgeable about market authorisation for RSV vaccines and in physicians. This tempestive research sheds light on current factors influencing the strategies of cardiac HCWs regarding RSV vaccination. The results suggest the need for training events on the protective role of RSV vaccination in cardiac patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence exists that individual-level sociodemographic factors contribute to vaccine hesitancy, but it is unknown how community-level factors affect COVID-19 booster dose hesitancy. The current study aims to fill this knowledge gap by comparing data from a nationwide survey on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy with a community-level indicator, i.e., the Distressed Communities Index (DCI). Methods: Attitudes toward vaccinations, vaccine literacy, COVID-19 vaccine confidence index, and trust were measured using a 48-item, psychometrically valid and reliable survey tool. In this study, 2138 survey participants residing in the United States were divided into quintiles of varying community distress levels based on their zip codes using the DCI. Data were analyzed through Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc analysis with Tukey's test. Results: A significantly higher proportion of participants from the distressed communities had lower trust than their prosperous counterparts (26.6% vs. 37.6%, p < 0.001). On the contrary, participants from the prosperous communities had significantly higher vaccine confidence index scores than those in distressed communities (2.22 ± 1.13 vs. 1.70 ± 1.01, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings affirm the importance of developing community-level interventions to promote trust in COVID-19 vaccinations and increase booster dose uptake. From these results, future studies can examine the efficacy of various community-level interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses are healthcare workers at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination. This study aimed to explore COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, vaccine literacy, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines, and determine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among nurses in Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using online questionnaires between May and June 2021. A total of 510 nurses were recruited during the pandemic's third wave in Thailand. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Ten percent (n = 51) of the participants were men, all of whom showed COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Of the 459 female nurses, 94.8% (n = 435) accepted COVID-19 vaccination and 91.3% (n = 419) reported previous influenza vaccination. In multiple logistic regression models, previous influenza vaccination, interactive–critical vaccine literacy, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among female nurses in Thailand. Those who had previously received influenza vaccination were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination. Higher scores for interactive–critical vaccine literacy and positive attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine increased the odds of accepting vaccination, while negative attitudes were associated with decreased vaccine acceptance. Vaccine literacy, together with attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine, had a strong positive effect on increasing vaccination acceptance and reducing vaccine hesitancy. The results suggest that policymakers should consider both attitudes and vaccine literacy when establishing prospective strategies for promoting vaccine acceptance among nurses beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Nursing Sciences is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Objectives: Cardiac patients are particularly at risk of herpes zoster (HZ), which is associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events. This research aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) among cardiac healthcare professionals (HPs). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a cardiological hospital in Italy. Multivariate regression models were built to identify factors associated with the outcomes of interest. Results: The response rate was 78.2% (154/197). Overall, age > 50 years and immunosuppression were recognized as risk factors for HZ by 38.3% and 75.3% of respondents, respectively. Regarding RZV, 29.1% of the HPs correctly responded about its schedule and 57.6% about the possibility of administration in immunocompromised individuals. This knowledge was significantly higher in HPs with a higher educational level (odds ratio (OR) = 4.42; 95%CI 1.70–11.47), in those who knew that HZ could cause postherpetic neuralgia (OR = 2.56; 95%CI 1.05–6.25) or major cardiovascular events (OR = 4.23; 95%CI 1.50–11.91), in those who had participated in professional updates on vaccinations (OR = 3.86; 95%CI 1.51–9.87) and in those who stated the need for further information about the RZV (OR = 6.43; 95%CI 1.42–29.98). Younger HPs (coefficient (β) = −0.02; 95%CI −0.04–−0.01), those with a positive attitude toward RZV safety (β = 2.92; 95%CI 2.49–3.36) and those who had previously cared for patients with HZ (β = 0.45; 95%CI 0.03–0.88) reported a more positive attitude toward RZV effectiveness. The practice of recommending vaccination was more prevalent in younger HPs (OR = 0.94; 95%CI 0.89–0.99), in those who had a master's degree or higher education (OR = 7.21; 95%CI 1.44–36.08), in those with more positive attitudes toward RZV effectiveness (OR = 7.17; 95%CI 1.71–30.03) and in HPs who had already recommended the vaccine to patients in the past (OR = 4.03; 95%CI 1.08–14.96). Conclusions: Despite being a single-center study, our research brings attention to factors that currently impact cardiac HPs' approaches to RZV. The findings indicate potential measures to enhance HPs' awareness and practices, ultimately aiming to improve vaccination adherence and reduce the burden associated with HZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High rates of population immunity are needed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess parents' intention to have their children, aged 5–11 years, vaccinated against COVID-19 and its influencing factors in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted before the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine rollout for children aged 5–11 years in Thailand. A sample of 542 parents with children in this age group was recruited online. Results: In total, 58.8% of parents intended to vaccinate their child against COVID-19. Logistic regression analysis revealed that influencing factors include child age, parents' education, interactive/critical vaccine literacy, attitudes that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children, that the vaccine can reduce the severity of COVID-19 in children, that there were other ways to prevent children from contracting COVID-19 superior to vaccination, and that COVID-19 vaccination in children can be fatal. The main reasons for having an intention to vaccinate their children included to reduce the severity of symptoms if infected with COVID-19 and to protect them from contracting COVID-19 when they go to school. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence regarding factors influencing parents' intention to vaccinate their children. The findings can be used to design future interventions to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background A comprehensive and agreed-upon definition of vaccine literacy (VL) could support the understanding of vaccination and help policy-makers and individuals make informed decisions about vaccines. Methods To shed some light on this debate and provide clarity, a scoping review was conducted to collect, summarize, and analyse available definitions of VL. Based on the findings of the scoping review, a new and comprehensive definition was proposed by a panel of experts. Results Fifty-three articles were included, and two of them appeared to be the milestones around which the other definitions were grouped. The new definition proposed by the panel of experts included not only the personal perspective, but also the community, population, and organizational perspectives. Moreover, due to the increasing complexity of the social context with respect to the ability to navigate, understand, and use information and services, the definition of organizational vaccine literacy and the attributes of a vaccine literate healthcare organization have been proposed. Conclusion The new definition can contribute to the overall paradigm of health literacy and its distinct component of vaccine literacy, possibly improving the implementation of public health strategies to allow vaccination to be understood as a social practice by the entire community. This study describes the conceptual foundations, the competencies, and the civic orientation to be considered when developing measurement tools devoted to assessing VL at the different levels and in different contexts.

Vaccine hesitancy is a multi-faceted phenomenon, deeply rooted in cultural, socioeconomic and personal background. Communication is deemed fundamental in fighting vaccine hesitancy. Medical communication should be accessible, relying both on an emotional approach and accurate information. Trained professionals should curate communication with the public.

Adolescents and their parents have been and continue to be bombarded with an infodemic of credible and nonreliable sources of information about vaccines. Decisions need to be made about getting the new COVID vaccine, a flu shot, HPV vaccine and the shingles vaccine just to name a few. This article attempts to eradicate the infodemic about vaccines and youth's feelings to get them or be hesitant about them. It will discuss youth hesitancy concerns, parental influence on vaccine decisions and suggest partnerships health sciences librarians can foster to provide quality, pertinent and reliable information for youth and their parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Aksaray University Faculty of Economics & Administrative Sciences / Aksaray Üniversitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Aksaray University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study is aimed to determine of individuals’ level of vaccine literacy and also their relationship with some of the demographic values in the East and Southeast Regions of Turkey. The research is cross-sectional and is conducted in the East and Southeast Anatolia Regions via Google Forms between February and March 2022. In determining the study group, the easy sampling method is used, 403 people who agreed to participate in the study are included in the study. Questions about sociodemographic characteristics and Vaccine Literacy Scale are used in the study. The data are analyzed in SPSS 25.0 package program. Factor Analysis, One-Way ANOVA Test, and Independent Sample t-Test analysis are used in the analysis of the data. According to the result of the study, the mean value of vaccine literacy is found to be 2.83 (70.75%). Statistically, a significant difference is found between vaccine literacy and gender, education, and vaccination status. Vaccine literacy levels of female participants are found significantly higher than male participants. Vaccine literacy level of the participants with high school and below education level is to be found significantly lower than the participants with other education vaccinated participants. Accordingly, vaccine literacy levels of participants with associate degree education are found to be significantly lower than participants with undergraduate education. Vaccine literacy levels of the participants with an associate degree education are found to be significantly lower than those with an undergraduate education level. Vaccination literacy of the individuals living in the East and Southeast Region is slightly more than average. It is determined that while education level and age increase, vaccine literacy level also increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the decision of parents of children aged 5-11 years to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 and to investigate the relationship between this decision and their vaccine literacy and attitudes. Materials and Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional research design was implemented on 635 parents between April 2022 and December 2022. Data were collected using the COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy Scale, the Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine Scale, and an Information Form. Results: A positive and significant relationship was found between the scores of the parents on the COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy Scale and the Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine Scale. In the study, it was determined that the total score averages of the Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine Scale were significantly higher for the parents who had had all childhood vaccinations for their children, who agreed to have their child vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccine, who had had the COVID-19 vaccine themselves, and who stated that the vaccine should be mandatory for both adults and children. Conclusion: It was concluded that parents' willingness to vaccinate their children routinely and their level of vaccine literacy about the COVID-19 vaccine positively influenced their attitude and decisions towards vaccinating their children against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gumushane Universty Electronic Journal of the Faculty of Communication / Gümüshane Üniversitesi Iletisim Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi is the property of Gumushane Universitesi Iletisim Fakultesi Elektronik Dergisi (e-GIFDER) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Wantana Maneesriwongul, Nipaporn Butsing, Suhong Deesamer Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Nipaporn Butsing, Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Email nipaporn.but@mahidol.eduIntroduction: Global vaccination efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic may be impeded by vaccine hesitancy. Attitudes and vaccine literacy are important factors that reduce vaccine hesitancy. The role of attitudes and vaccine literacy of parents on COVID-19 vaccine intention for their children under five years was unknown.Objective: This study aimed to assess parents’ characteristics, vaccine literacy, attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccine intention/hesitancy and to determine factors influencing parents’ vaccine intention for their children under five years of age.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire before the authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for very young children in Thailand. The sample consisted of 455 parents with children under five years old. The online questionnaire included parents’ sociodemographic data, vaccine literacy, attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccine intention to get their children vaccinated.Results: About 98% of the parents received their COVID-19 vaccination, whereas only 45.1% reported they would have their children under five years old get vaccinated. About 54.9% were either not sure or refused their child’s COVID-19 vaccination. A multiple logistic regression model identified factors that increased the odds of parents’ vaccine intention: parents aged > 35 years, attitudes on safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine for children, advice about the COVID-19 vaccines from healthcare personnel, and the belief that COVID-19 vaccine is helpful for their children. Attitudes that COVID-19 vaccination in children could be fatal decreased parents’ vaccine intention. Need for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine for children and concern about the vaccine’s side effects were the most frequent reasons for vaccine hesitancy and refusal.Conclusion: Parents should be provided with accurate information from healthcare personnel and media sources about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine for young children under five years of age to overcome their hesitancy.Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy, children, parents, attitudes, vaccine literacy

Vaccine literacy (VL) is the ability to find, understand, and evaluate vaccination-related information to make appropriate decisions about immunization. The tools developed so far for its evaluation have produced consistent results. However, some dimensions may be underestimated due to the complexity of factors influencing VL. Moreover, the heterogeneity of methods used in studies employing these tools hinders a comprehensive understanding of its role even more. To overcome these limitations, a path has been sought to propose new instruments. This has necessitated updating earlier literature reviews on VL and related tools, exploring its relationship with vaccine hesitancy (VH), and examining associated variables like beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors towards immunization. Based on the current literature, and supported by the re-analysis of a dataset from an earlier study, we propose a theoretical framework to serve as the foundation for creating future assessment tools. These instruments should not only evaluate the psychological factors underlying the motivational aspect of VL, but also encompass knowledge and competencies. The positioning of VL in the framework at the intersection between sociodemographic antecedents and attitudes, leading to behaviors and outcomes, explains why and how VL can directly or indirectly influence vaccination decisions by countering VH and operating at personal, as well as at organizational and community levels.

Background: A comprehensive and agreed-upon definition of vaccine literacy (VL) could support the understanding of vaccination and help policy-makers and individuals make informed decisions about vaccines. Methods: To shed some light on this debate and provide clarity, a scoping review was conducted to collect, summarize, and analyse available definitions of VL. Based on the findings of the scoping review, a new and comprehensive definition was proposed by a panel of experts. Results: Fifty-three articles were included, and two of them appeared to be the milestones around which the other definitions were grouped. The new definition proposed by the panel of experts included not only the personal perspective, but also the community, population, and organizational perspectives. Moreover, due to the increasing complexity of the social context with respect to the ability to navigate, understand, and use information and services, the definition of organizational vaccine literacy and the attributes of a vaccine literate healthcare organization have been proposed. Conclusion: The new definition can contribute to the overall paradigm of health literacy and its distinct component of vaccine literacy, possibly improving the implementation of public health strategies to allow vaccination to be understood as a social practice by the entire community. This study describes the conceptual foundations, the competencies, and the civic orientation to be considered when developing measurement tools devoted to assessing VL at the different levels and in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low coverage of influenza vaccination in nursing home (NH) staff may be attributed to factors such as vaccine confidence (VC) and vaccine literacy (VL). Our study aimed to evaluate the role of VL and VC in predicting the intention to get the influenza vaccine in a sample of employees of NHs in Tuscany, Italy. Methods: Data from staff members in Tuscany were collected using an online questionnaire that examined influenza vaccination history, intentions, demographic information, health status, and VL. Statistical analyses explored the relationships between VC, VL, and vaccination intentions. Results: The study included 1794 respondents, (86.3%) and assistants/aides (58.1%), with a median age of 46 years. The intention to get vaccinated was significantly higher among those with health risk conditions, and there was a positive association between VC and VL, specifically its interactive/critical component. The mediation analysis showed that VC completely mediated the relationship between VL and the intention to get vaccinated, with significant effects observed in different subgroups. Conclusions: VC is a key factor that mediates the effect of VL on vaccine intention. These results suggest that interventions aimed at improving VL alone may not be sufficient to increase vaccine uptake unless VC is also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to examine the effects of parents' vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 vaccine literacy on their attitudes toward vaccinating their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative. The data were collected from 199 parents with children aged 0–18 using a Google Form on social media. In the study, the Parent Introductory Information Form, the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale in Pandemics, and the COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy Scale were used. In the analysis of the data, numbers, percentages, and means were calculated, and the significance test of the difference between the two means and the logistic regression analysis were used. Parents' vaccination hesitancy scale sub-dimensions and COVID-19 vaccine literacy scale sub-dimensions together explain 25.4% of their attitudes toward having their children vaccinated against COVID-19. When the variables were examined individually, it was determined that the sub-dimensions of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale in Pandemics alone significantly affected their attitudes during the pandemic period (p < 0.001). Parents are hesitant about getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19. Improving vaccine literacy can increase vaccination rates in special groups to overcome vaccine hesitancy. • Vaccine confidence positively influenced parental attitudes toward vaccinating their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. • Finding the vaccine risky negatively affects the attitudes of parents toward getting their children vaccinated against COVID–19. • The attitudes of parents towards the COVID-19 vaccine predict getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19. • The parents' health literacy levels predict the attitudes of parents toward getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Assessment of vaccine literacy is essential for understanding people's ability to access various vaccine information to meet health demands. Few studies have examined the role of vaccine literacy in vaccine hesitancy, which is a psychological state. This study aimed to validate the applicability of the HLVa-IT (Vaccine Health Literacy of Adults in Italian) scale in Chinese settings and to explore the association between vaccine literacy and vaccine hesitancy. From May to June 2022, we conducted an online cross-sectional survey in mainland China. Potential factor domains were obtained by the exploratory factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, composite reliability values, and square root values of average variances extracted were calculated to determine the internal consistency and discriminant validity. The association between vaccine literacy, vaccine acceptance, with vaccine hesitancy was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Totally, 12,586 participants completed the survey. Two potential dimensions, the functional and the interactive/critical, were identified. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability values were >0.90. The square root values of average variances extracted exceeded the related correlations. The functional dimension (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0579; 95 % Confidence Interval (CI); 0.529, 0.635), interactive (aOR: 0.654; 95%CI: 0.531, 0.806)/critical (aOR: 0.709; 95%CI: 0.575, 0.873) dimension were significantly and negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy. Similar results were also found in different vaccines acceptance subgroups. This report is limited by the convenience sampling method. The modified HLVa-IT is suitable for use in Chinese settings. Vaccine literacy was negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy. • The negative association between vaccine literacy and vaccine hesitancy was found. • This study validated the usefulness of the HLVa-IT vaccine literacy scale in Chinese sittings. • Low functional scale scores mean more likely to be hesitant in all vaccine acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 related infodemic is a threat to the successful COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. This might be especially apparent for patients with autoimmune diseases since there is no data available about the balance between benefits and risks of the newly developed COVID-19 vaccines in this population. We aim (i) to evaluate vaccine literacy skills in a population of patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, (ii) to examine the potential associations between vaccine literacy skills and sociodemographic characteristics and (iii) to analyze the relationships between attitudes, perceptions and beliefs about current vaccinations and vaccine literacy skills and sociodemographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 patients with systemic autoimmune diseases (92% females; 49.5% of patients in the 31–50 years age category). The vaccine literacy levels were determined using the Health Literacy about Vaccination in adulthood in Italian (HLVa-IT). Sociodemographic characteristics including gender, age, country and area of residence, civil status, socioeconomic status, educational attainment and occupational status were evaluated. The mean vaccine literacy functional and interactive-critical scores were 2.59 ± 0.74 and 3.07 ± 0.60, respectively. The vaccine literacy interactive-critical score was higher in females than in males (p = 0.048). Interactive-critical scores were associated with the area of residence, civil status and socioeconomic status, with the highest score in urban area of ≥ 100.000 inhabitants (p = 0.045), in widow patients (p = 0.023) and in patients with high socioeconomic status (p = 0.018). Significant differences were observed between the different education levels, for both the functional and the interactive-critical scores (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively), the highest score was observed in patients who completed a university degree. The level of vaccine literacy for functional and interactive-critical scales were medium. Area of residence, civil status and socioeconomic status represented determinants of vaccine literacy interactive-critical scale. Educational attainment also contributes to vaccine literacy functional scale. Insight into these factors is required to ensure an optimal vaccine literacy level in patients with autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy has remained a significant concern among adults worldwide. However, not much is known about parental vaccine hesitancy for getting children vaccinated for COVID-19 in the U.S. Thus, the purpose of this study was to conduct a national assessment of parents’ preferences for COVID-19 vaccination of children using the evidence-based Multi-Theory Model (MTM) and explore the predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Methods: To participate in this study, a national random sample of parents (n=263) took a valid and reliable online questionnaire based on the MTM. Independent samples t test, chi-square test, multiple logistic regression was utilized to analyze data. Results: More than two-fifths (42%) of the participating parents were not willing to get their children vaccinated for COVID-19. Parental vaccination status, booster dose acceptance, education, and political affiliation were significant predictors of willingness to get children vaccinated for COVID-19. In the multiple logistic regression analyses, behavioral confidence and participatory dialogue (i.e., perceived advantages versus disadvantages) were statistically significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy for children among the participating parents. Conclusion: Given the multiple factors that were found influential in parental hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccination among children, multimodal and evidence-based interventions are needed to increase the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among children by influencing the parents’ perceptions, increasing their confidence, dispelling misinformation, and reducing constraints for vaccination. Such interventions should emphasize communication and messaging that is truthful, interactive, scientifically correct, and to be delivered in a variety of community-based settings.

Aim: This descriptive research was conducted to determine the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine literacy and public attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Material and Methods: The research data were collected by convenience sampling between June and September 2021. The population of the research consisted of 1112 individuals aged 18 and over. The data were collected online using a personal information form, the COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy Scale, and the Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine (ATV-COVID-19) Scale. Results: The mean COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy scale total score was 2.91±0.43, while the mean ATV-COVID-19 scale total was 3.68±0.76. A statistically significant and positive relationship existed between the participants' COVID-19 VL scale total scores and their ATV-COVID-19 scale total scores. Conclusion: The vaccine literacy of the participants was relatively high, and their attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine were positive. As vaccine literacy increased, positive attitudes toward vaccines also increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on curriculum examples from Australia and Canada, we outline three key elements to support the development school-based HPV vaccination literacy for young people: (1) knowledge and understanding about HPV and HPV vaccination; (2) the scientific principles underpinning vaccination; and (3) the socio-political factors influencing HPV vaccination. These elements benefit from cross-curricular integration and a whole-of-school approach. Educating young people about HPV and HPV vaccination improves their vaccination knowledge and understanding, health literacy and vaccination-related psychosocial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physicians highlight that receiving the flu vaccine is critical, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Younger groups' flu vaccination coverage is very low, and this tendency is potentially related to a lower level of vaccine literacy and perceptions toward vaccination. This study investigated the relationship between flu vaccine literacy, health beliefs, and flu vaccinations (benefit, barrier, severity, and susceptibility) and their impact on perceived health status controlling for socioeconomic factors. It used the Health Belief Model andHealth Literacy Skills Framework with under/graduate students (N = 382) in Ohio, U.S. Path analyses were performed to examine the causal process using SPSS and Amos 23.0. Indicators of CFI, RMSEA, SRMR, and the chi-square/df of the path models were good–acceptable. Vaccine literacy directly impacted on health beliefs and vaccination. Susceptibility belief directly influenced perceived health status. The mediation effects of health beliefs (benefit, barrier) between vaccine literacy and vaccination were confirmed. The study highlights the need for healthcare providers and governments to work together to improve flu vaccine literacy and reduce negative perceptions toward vaccination among younger populations. Educational programs and official communication channels can be used to address concerns and provide accurate information about vaccines to increase flu vaccination rates and protect public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic underlined a shift in attitudes against vaccines and a rise in hesitancy among some members of the population, despite the overwhelming evidence that vaccinations are one of the most successful and safe health interventions. Research has shown that vaccine hesitancy is complex and can result from an intersectionality of multiple factors. Research has also shown that to tackle vaccine hesitancy in the community, health care workers play a pivotal role, as they are trusted sources who can provide reliable information and can address vaccination concerns for the public. Unfortunately, health care workers are also susceptible to vaccine hesitancy. Thus, to curb these negative attitudes and doubts against vaccinations, we propose to improve vaccine competency among health science students, who are the future health workforce. Here, we propose a comprehensive pedagogical approach that aims to improve the vaccine literacy in this student population in two urban community colleges. The approach includes the use of high-impact pedagogical interventions to achieve three main objectives: (i) to teach students the nature and process of science to have them become “competent outsiders”; (ii) to enhance students’ knowledge of the complex science behind emerging infectious diseases and vaccine action, adopting a learner-centered and concept-focused instructional design, and (iii) to address the social, cultural, and historical aspects of vaccine development and the historical and present inequities that characterize this health intervention.

Introduction: Evidence exists that individual-level sociodemographic factors contribute to vaccine hesitancy, but it is unknown how community-level factors affect COVID-19 booster dose hesitancy. The current study aims to fill this knowledge gap by comparing data from a nationwide survey on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy with a community-level indicator, i.e., the Distressed Communities Index (DCI). Methods: Attitudes toward vaccinations, vaccine literacy, COVID-19 vaccine confidence index, and trust were measured using a 48-item, psychometrically valid and reliable survey tool. In this study, 2138 survey participants residing in the United States were divided into quintiles of varying community distress levels based on their zip codes using the DCI. Data were analyzed through Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc analysis with Tukey’s test. Results: A significantly higher proportion of participants from the distressed communities had lower trust than their prosperous counterparts (26.6% vs. 37.6%, p < 0.001). On the contrary, participants from the prosperous communities had significantly higher vaccine confidence index scores than those in distressed communities (2.22 ± 1.13 vs. 1.70 ± 1.01, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings affirm the importance of developing community-level interventions to promote trust in COVID-19 vaccinations and increase booster dose uptake. From these results, future studies can examine the efficacy of various community-level interventions.

Nurses are healthcare workers at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination. This study aimed to explore COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, vaccine literacy, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines, and determine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among nurses in Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using online questionnaires between May and June 2021. A total of 510 nurses were recruited during the pandemic’s third wave in Thailand. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Ten percent (n = 51) of the participants were men, all of whom showed COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Of the 459 female nurses, 94.8% (n = 435) accepted COVID-19 vaccination and 91.3% (n = 419) reported previous influenza vaccination. In multiple logistic regression models, previous influenza vaccination, interactive–critical vaccine literacy, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among female nurses in Thailand. Those who had previously received influenza vaccination were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination. Higher scores for interactive–critical vaccine literacy and positive attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine increased the odds of accepting vaccination, while negative attitudes were associated with decreased vaccine acceptance. Vaccine literacy, together with attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine, had a strong positive effect on increasing vaccination acceptance and reducing vaccine hesitancy. The results suggest that policymakers should consider both attitudes and vaccine literacy when establishing prospective strategies for promoting vaccine acceptance among nurses beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and Objectives: Cardiac patients are particularly at risk of herpes zoster (HZ), which is associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events. This research aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) among cardiac healthcare professionals (HPs). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a cardiological hospital in Italy. Multivariate regression models were built to identify factors associated with the outcomes of interest. Results: The response rate was 78.2% (154/197). Overall, age > 50 years and immunosuppression were recognized as risk factors for HZ by 38.3% and 75.3% of respondents, respectively. Regarding RZV, 29.1% of the HPs correctly responded about its schedule and 57.6% about the possibility of administration in immunocompromised individuals. This knowledge was significantly higher in HPs with a higher educational level (odds ratio (OR) = 4.42; 95%CI 1.70–11.47), in those who knew that HZ could cause postherpetic neuralgia (OR = 2.56; 95%CI 1.05–6.25) or major cardiovascular events (OR = 4.23; 95%CI 1.50–11.91), in those who had participated in professional updates on vaccinations (OR = 3.86; 95%CI 1.51–9.87) and in those who stated the need for further information about the RZV (OR = 6.43; 95%CI 1.42–29.98). Younger HPs (coefficient (β) = −0.02; 95%CI −0.04–−0.01), those with a positive attitude toward RZV safety (β = 2.92; 95%CI 2.49–3.36) and those who had previously cared for patients with HZ (β = 0.45; 95%CI 0.03–0.88) reported a more positive attitude toward RZV effectiveness. The practice of recommending vaccination was more prevalent in younger HPs (OR = 0.94; 95%CI 0.89–0.99), in those who had a master’s degree or higher education (OR = 7.21; 95%CI 1.44–36.08), in those with more positive attitudes toward RZV effectiveness (OR = 7.17; 95%CI 1.71–30.03) and in HPs who had already recommended the vaccine to patients in the past (OR = 4.03; 95%CI 1.08–14.96). Conclusions: Despite being a single-center study, our research brings attention to factors that currently impact cardiac HPs’ approaches to RZV. The findings indicate potential measures to enhance HPs’ awareness and practices, ultimately aiming to improve vaccination adherence and reduce the burden associated with HZ.

Background: High rates of population immunity are needed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess parents’ intention to have their children, aged 5–11 years, vaccinated against COVID-19 and its influencing factors in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted before the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine rollout for children aged 5–11 years in Thailand. A sample of 542 parents with children in this age group was recruited online. Results: In total, 58.8% of parents intended to vaccinate their child against COVID-19. Logistic regression analysis revealed that influencing factors include child age, parents’ education, interactive/critical vaccine literacy, attitudes that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children, that the vaccine can reduce the severity of COVID-19 in children, that there were other ways to prevent children from contracting COVID-19 superior to vaccination, and that COVID-19 vaccination in children can be fatal. The main reasons for having an intention to vaccinate their children included to reduce the severity of symptoms if infected with COVID-19 and to protect them from contracting COVID-19 when they go to school. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence regarding factors influencing parents’ intention to vaccinate their children. The findings can be used to design future interventions to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake in children.

Kamonrat Kittipimpanon, Wantana Maneesriwongul, Nipaporn Butsing, Poolsuk Janepanish Visudtibhan, Sirirat Leelacharas Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Wantana Maneesriwongul, Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Email wantana.lim@mahidol.ac.thIntroduction: Unvaccinated older adults with COVID-19 are at higher risk for severe illness and complications compared with those have been vaccinated. Vaccine literacy and attitudes are important factors that enhance healthy behaviors and choices, including vaccination intention.Objective: To explore vaccine literacy, attitudes, and vaccination intention toward COVID-19 among Thai older adults and examine associations between vaccine literacy, attitudes, and vaccination intention.Methods: This study used a cross-sectional online design. We surveyed 408 older adults who met our inclusion criteria. Participants were recruited online via social media and websites. The survey covered demographic data, vaccine literacy, attitudes, and intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine.Results: COVID-19 vaccination intention among Thai older adults was high (81.3%). Females and those aged 60– 69 years had higher COVID-19 vaccine literacy scores than males (t = − 2.120, p < 0.05) and those aged ≥ 70 years (t = 2.438, p < 0.05). Participants with postgraduate education and those who were health professionals scored higher for vaccine literacy than less educated (t = − 3.501, p < 0.01) and non-health professional (t = 5.437, p < 0.001) participants. Those with an adequate income or that had been vaccinated against COVID-19 scored significantly higher for vaccine literacy and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine than participants with an inadequate income (t = 4.626, p < 0.001) or that had not been vaccinated (t = 2.842, p < 0.01). Vaccine literacy (r = 0.219, p < 0.001) and attitudes (r = 0.459, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with vaccination intention.Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccine literacy and attitudes are significant factors related to vaccination intention. Health professionals could play an important role in enhancing vaccine literacy among older adults. Positive attitudes and COVID-19 vaccine literacy may enhance vaccination uptake in older adults.Keywords: vaccine literacy, attitudes, vaccination intention, COVID-19, older adults

Abstract Background This study applies the Patient Self-Advocacy scale to investigate vaccine hesitancy in New Zealand. Due to New Zealand’s very limited tertiary hospital system and vulnerable populations, the Government’s strategy to address COVID-19 has been to prevent the virus from entering the nation and to eliminate it when it does cross the border. Therefore, there is no opportunity for the nation to generate any acquired immunity through exposure. To transition from closed borders, New Zealand will need to run a highly successful national vaccination programme and this needs to have the ability to drive influential public health messaging to the targeted places within the communities where vaccine hesitancy most exists. Methods This study employed statistical methods. A nationally representative survey of adults in New Zealand (n = 1852) was collected via Qualtrics. Independent samples t-tests, and multiple regression were used to explore the research questions. Results Those who identify as medically able to be vaccinated expressed significantly higher confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine than those who identified as unable to be vaccinated. Patient-self advocacy had a positive effect on vaccine confidence. Individuals who identify as able to be vaccinated have less hesitancy. Demographics had various effects on vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion The research highlights particularly important insights into vaccine hesitancy related to patient self-advocacy behaviours, and various demographic variables such as political affiliation. In addition, the research adds further clarity on how and why New Zealanders have responded to the COVID-vaccine. Finally, the importance of vaccine literacy is discussed.

Health literacy refers to skills and knowledge that enable individuals to navigate health-related information environments, to function in healthcare systems, and to practice behaviors that lead to better health outcomes. Accordingly, health literacy is one of the major preoccupations of public health scholars, policies, and strategies. However, it is a complex, multidimensional, and dynamic concept that incorporates different kinds of health-related skills and knowledge. This editorial briefly presents dimensions, levels, and domains of health literacy and discusses a growing need to acknowledge health literacy as a context-specific concept that includes various forms with context-specific conceptualizations. More specifically, it focuses on three health literacy forms that are gaining attention, namely e-health literacy, vaccine literacy, and mental health literacy. By emphasizing the importance of health literacy research for this journal and in general this editorial calls for increasing engagement in this field and invites further contributions on the topic.

It is known that hesitations about vaccines are increasing worldwide. These hesitations are likely to become an important public health problem in the future. Scientific studies carried out in order to contribute directly or indirectly to the improvement of the health level of the society are important. In this direction, the research was carried out to examine the effect of vaccine literacy level on vaccine hesitancy of individuals who are candidates to be health workers. In this study, quantitative research method was used, it is descriptive in type. In the research, vaccine hesitancy scale and vaccine literacy scale was used. In the research, 507 students of the Faculty of Health Sciences were reached through convenience sampling. The data collected by the online survey method were analyzed in the computer environment through the SPSS program. As a result of the research, there was no significant difference between gender, age, total income, class and vaccine hesitancy and vaccine literacy, but a significant difference was found between departments and vaccine hesitancy and vaccine literacy. In addition, a low-level positive and significant relationship was found between vaccine literacy and vaccine hesitancy. Similarly, it was concluded that vaccine literacy had a significant and positive. It is recommended to conduct similar studies on a larger sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Vaccine literacy (VL) is an essential component of health literacy and is regarded as the promising technique for eliminating vaccine hesitancy. This review summarizes the relationship between VL and vaccination, including vaccine hesitancy, vaccination attitude, vaccination intention, and vaccination uptake.Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library databases. Studies that explored the relationship between VL and vaccination were included, and the PRISMA recommendations were followed.Results: 1523 studies were found, and 21 articles were selected. The earliest article was published in 2015 and focused on the HPV vaccination and VL of female college students. Three studies surveyed parents’ VL about childhood vaccinations, and the remaining 17 focused on COVID-19 VL in different groups.Conclusion: Although VL plays a role in determining the level of vaccine hesitancy across various populations, the association remains unclear. In the future, additional assessment methods could be developed and used to conduct prospective cohort and longitudinal studies to determine the causal relationship between VL and vaccination.

To address vaccine hesitancy, specific self-rated tools have been developed to assess vaccine literacy (VL) related to COVID-19, including additional variables, such as beliefs, behavior, and willingness to be vaccinated. To explore the recent literature a search was performed selecting articles published between January 2020 and October 2022: 26 papers were identified using these tools in the context of COVID-19. Descriptive analysis showed that the levels of VL observed in the studies were generally in agreement, with functional VL score often lower than the interactive-critical dimension, as if the latter was stimulated by the COVID-19-related infodemic. Factors associated with VL included vaccination status, age, educational level, and, possibly, gender. Effective communication based on VL when promoting vaccination is critical to sustaining immunization against COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. The VL scales developed to date have shown good consistency. However, further research is needed to improve these tools and develop new ones.