Collective good and individual choice: Perceptions on COVID-19 vaccine mandate among COVID-19 vaccinated individuals

Kaivalya Gudooru; Kimberly Nguyen; Kathy Le; Vyas Sarabu; Meredith Hosek; Anna Phan; Michelle Garza; Bertha E Flores; Armida Flores; Amelie Ramirez; Luz M Garcini

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.052

Collective good and individual choice: Perceptions on COVID-19 vaccine mandate among COVID-19 vaccinated individuals

Vaccine. 2024 Apr 27:S0264-410X(24)00479-1. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.052. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US. Electronic address: gudooru@livemail.uthscsa.edu.
² Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US.
³ School of Nursing, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US.
⁴ Center for Research to Advance Community Health (ReACH), University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US.
⁵ Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US.
⁶ Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US; Center for Research to Advance Community Health (ReACH), University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, US; Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, US; Kinder Institute of Urban Research, Rice University, Houston, TX, US.

PMID: 38679513
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.052

Abstract

Introduction: Vaccine mandates are controversial, and people vary widely in their preferences to support or reject vaccine mandates. For some, vaccine mandates represent a commitment to reduce harm and support public health. For others, vaccine mandates are viewed as a threat to individual freedom and a violation of personal choice. This manuscript investigated support for a COVID-19 vaccine mandate among COVID-19-vaccinated individuals and identified differences by demographic characteristics and COVID-19 experience.

Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were given to COVID-19-vaccinated individuals at a vaccination clinic in South Texas in the U.S. with the goal of identifying attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about COVID-19 vaccination and willingness to support a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Associations of interest were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Key results: Approximately half of the sample was of Hispanic or Latino origin (48 %); most respondents identified as White (59 %), followed by 12 % who identified as Asian. Overall, 59 % of participants supported the possibility for a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Preliminary data showed significant racial differences in willingness to support a possible COVID-19 vaccine mandate (χ² (1, n = 893) = 26.7, p < .001, phi = .17); 80 % of Asian people reported support for COVID-19 vaccination mandate compared to 50 % to 57 % for other racial groups. Significant differences also emerged by ethnicity (χ² (4, n = 1033) = 7.12, p = .008, phi = .08) whereby a higher percentage of Latino participants (66 %) reported willingness to support a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Similarly, significant differences were found by age (χ² (4, n = 1045) = 20.92, p < .001, phi = .21), yet no significant differences were found by sex or previous COVID-19 diagnosis.

Conclusion: Support for a COVID-19 vaccination mandate is controversial even among vaccinated people. Identifying and understanding cultural and contextual factors that underlie differences in attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19 vaccination mandates is essential to advance dialogue and inform educational health campaigns to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health diversity; Vaccine acceptance; Vaccine mandate.