Adaptation and Preliminary Validation of the Fear of Coronavirus Vaccination Scale in the Prospective Study among a Representative Sample of Polish, Israeli, Slovenian, and German Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dominika Ochnik; Aleksandra M Rogowska; Joy Benatov; Ana Arzenšek

doi:10.3390/ijerph191811587

Adaptation and Preliminary Validation of the Fear of Coronavirus Vaccination Scale in the Prospective Study among a Representative Sample of Polish, Israeli, Slovenian, and German Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 14;19(18):11587. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191811587.

Authors

Dominika Ochnik¹, Aleksandra M Rogowska², Joy Benatov³, Ana Arzenšek⁴

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, University of Technology, 40-555 Katowice, Poland.
² Institute of Psychology, University of Opole, 45-052 Opole, Poland.
³ Department of Special Education, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
⁴ Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, 6101 Koper, Slovenia.

Abstract

Although concerns about harm and side effects are among the most important factors determining vaccine hesitancy, research on the fear of vaccination is sparse. The purpose of this study is a validation the Fear of Coronavirus Vaccination Scale (FoCVVS), adapted from the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. A representative sample of 1723 young adults aged 20-40 from Poland, Israel, Slovenia, and Germany participated during two time-points of the third COVID-19 pandemic wave. The online survey included demographic variables and several well-being dimensions, including gender, vaccination status, fear of coronavirus (FoCV-19S), physical health (GSRH), life satisfaction (SWLS), and perceived stress (PSS-10), anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed at T1, and confirmatory analysis (CFA) at T2. The second-order two-factor structure demonstrated the best fit and very good discriminant and convergent validation. The general factor of the FoCVVS included two subscales assessing the emotional and physiological symptoms of fear of vaccination. Unvaccinated people showed higher levels of fear of vaccination than those vaccinated. A vaccination status, fear of vaccination T1, and fear of COVID-19 T1 were significant predictors of fear of vaccination T2. Vaccination-promoting programs should be focused on decreasing fear and enhancing the beneficial effects of vaccination.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; anxiety; depression; fear of COVID-19; fear of coronavirus vaccination scale (FoCVVS); fear of vaccination; mental health; physical health; stress; vaccination status; well-being.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Fear / psychology
Humans
Israel / epidemiology
Pandemics
Poland / epidemiology
Prospective Studies
Vaccination
Young Adult

Grants and funding

The research project “Mental health of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, Germany, Slovenia, and Israel: A Longitudinal Study” was co-financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange within the Urgency Grants program. A grant was awarded to the University of Technology in Katowice, Poland, and coordinated by Dr. Dominika Ochnik; decision number: PPN/GIN/2020/1/00023/DEC/01. The article processing charge (APC) was fully covered by the University of Technology in Katowice, Poland.