A high level of vaccine knowledge increases people's behavioral risks for contracting COVID-19 in Japan

Shuko Takahashi; Shohei Yamada; Satoshi Sasaki; Naomi Takahashi; Masaru Nohara; Ichiro Kawachi

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115256

A high level of vaccine knowledge increases people's behavioral risks for contracting COVID-19 in Japan

Soc Sci Med. 2022 Oct:310:115256. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115256. Epub 2022 Aug 11.

Authors

Shuko Takahashi¹, Shohei Yamada², Satoshi Sasaki³, Naomi Takahashi⁴, Masaru Nohara⁵, Ichiro Kawachi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Office of Medical Policy, Department of Health and Welfare, Iwate Prefectural Government, 10-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8570, Japan; Division of Medical Education, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1, Idaidori, Yahaba-cho, Shiwa-gun, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan. Electronic address: shutakahashi-iwt@umin.ac.jp.
² Division of Finance, Department of General Affairs, Iwate Prefectural Government, 10-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8570, Japan.
³ Division of Health and National Health Insurance, Department of Health and Welfare, Iwate Prefectural Government, 10-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8570, Japan.
⁴ Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine, 1-1-1, Idaidori, Yahaba-cho, Shiwa-gun, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan.
⁵ Department of Health and Welfare, Iwate Prefectural Government, 10-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8570, Japan.
⁶ Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard. T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

Abstract

Background: There has been no study in which the association between levels of vaccine knowledge and preventive behaviors was examined during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the transition to risky (transmission) behavior according to level of vaccine knowledge over a seven-month period when vaccines became widely available in Japan.

Methods: A series of cross-sectional surveys were conducted using rapid online surveys of residents in Iwate Prefecture from December 4 to 7 in 2020 (the first survey) and from July 2 to 4 in 2021 (the fourth survey). We calculated each individual's risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection using a quantitative assessment tool (the microCOVID calculator). The respondents' level of knowledge regarding the COVID-19 vaccine was assessed by a questionnaire and was divided into four groups: very low level, low level, moderate level, and high level of vaccine knowledge.

Results: People with a high-level knowledge about the vaccine had significantly higher odds ratios (ORs) of transitioning to high-risk behavior compared to people with a low level of vaccine knowledge (OR [95% confidence interval (CI)], 1.50 [1.17-1.93]; P = 0.001). There was a dose-response association according to the four levels of vaccine knowledge, while engagement in preventive measures in the first survey was not associated with high-risk behavior in the follow-up survey.

Conclusions: Since new variants of SARS-CoV-2 have evolved, policy makers should continue to communicate strong messages to keep a high level of consciousness and maintain basic preventive measures even after widespread vaccination.

Keywords: Behavioral risk; COVID-19; Japan; Vaccine; microCOVID.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines / therapeutic use
COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Cross-Sectional Studies
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Japan / epidemiology
Pandemics / prevention & control
SARS-CoV-2
Vaccination

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines