Association between close interpersonal contact and vaccine hesitancy: Findings from a population-based survey in Canada

Prince A Adu; Sarafa A Iyaniwura; Bushra Mahmood; Dahn Jeong; Jean Damascene Makuza; Georgine Cua; Mawuena Binka; Héctor A Velásquez García; Notice Ringa; Stanley Wong; Amanda Yu; Mike A Irvine; Michael Otterstatter; Naveed Z Janjua

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.971333

Association between close interpersonal contact and vaccine hesitancy: Findings from a population-based survey in Canada

Front Public Health. 2022 Oct 4:10:971333. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.971333. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Prince A Adu^{1

2}, Sarafa A Iyaniwura^{1

3}, Bushra Mahmood⁴, Dahn Jeong^{1

2}, Jean Damascene Makuza^{1

2}, Georgine Cua^{1

2}, Mawuena Binka^{1

2}, Héctor A Velásquez García^{1

2}, Notice Ringa^{1

2}, Stanley Wong¹, Amanda Yu¹, Mike A Irvine¹, Michael Otterstatter^{1

2}, Naveed Z Janjua^{1

2

5}

Affiliations

¹ British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
² School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
³ Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁵ Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Vaccine hesitancy threatens efforts to bring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to an end. Given that social or interpersonal contact is an important driver for COVID-19 transmission, understanding the relationship between contact rates and vaccine hesitancy may help identify appropriate targets for strategic intervention. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between interpersonal contact and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among a sample of unvaccinated adults in the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC).

Methods: Unvaccinated individuals participating in the BC COVID-19 Population Mixing Patterns Survey (BC-Mix) were asked to indicate their level of agreement to the statement, "I plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine." Multivariable multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between self-reported interpersonal contact and vaccine hesitancy, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, educational attainment, occupation, household size and region of residence. All analyses incorporated survey sampling weights based on age, sex, geography, and ethnicity.

Results: Results were based on survey responses collected between March 8, 2021 and December 6, 2021, by a total of 4,515 adults aged 18 years and older. Overall, 56.7% of respondents reported that they were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, 27.0% were unwilling and 16.3% were undecided. We found a dose-response association between interpersonal contact and vaccine hesitancy. Compared to individuals in the lowest quartile (least contact), those in the fourth quartile (highest contact), third quartile and second quartile groups were more likely to be vaccine hesitant, with adjusted odd ratios (aORs) of 2.85 (95% CI: 2.02, 4.00), 1.91(95% CI: 1.38, 2.64), 1.78 (95% CI: 1.13, 2.82), respectively.

Conclusion: Study findings show that among unvaccinated people in BC, vaccine hesitancy is greater among those who have high contact rates, and hence potentially at higher risk of acquiring and transmitting infection. This may also impact future uptake of booster doses.

Keywords: COVID-19; Canada; interpersonal contact; transmission; vaccine hesitancy.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adult
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Canada / epidemiology
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Parents
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Vaccination
Vaccination Hesitancy
Vaccines*

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines
Vaccines