Differences in social media use by COVID-19 vaccination status

Abstract

The near-ubiquitous use of social media in the United States (U.S.) highlights the utility of social media for encouraging vaccination. Vaccination campaigns have used social media to reach audiences, yet research linking the use of specific social media platforms and vaccination uptake is nascent. This descriptive study assesses differences in social media use by COVID-19 vaccination status among adults overall and those who reported baseline vaccine hesitancy. We used data from a nationally representative longitudinal survey of U.S. adults administered between January 2021-August 2022 (n = 2,908). Results indicated a positive association between frequent Instagram and/or Twitter use and vaccination status (p <.05). Among baseline vaccine hesitant adults, results indicated a positive association between frequent TikTok, Instagram, and/or Twitter use and vaccination status (p <.05). Findings have implications for research that examines the content of social media platforms and their environment on vaccine attitudes and uptake.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health promotion; Social media; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.