Changes in Vaccine Hesitancy in Japan across Five Months during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Related Factors

Abstract

Although vaccination is a particularly important countermeasure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), vaccine hesitancy may be a barrier to an effective vaccination program. It is understood that attitude towards vaccines is not a simple binominal decision between hesitancy and acceptance, but a continuum with a wide range of related factors. It is also likely to change depending on the present situation. Therefore, this study aimed to examine changes in vaccination attitudes across a five-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors associated with these changes. We conducted a web-based survey with 1000 participants in Japan in September 2021 and examined the relationship between attitudes regarding vaccination and sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological variables. In addition, we also retrospectively asked for vaccination attitudes as of April 2021. Over the course of five months, we found that vaccine acceptance rates increased from 40.6% to 85.5%. Health-related behaviors such as regular influenza vaccination and medical checkups were consistently associated with vaccine acceptance. Moreover, psychological variables, such as anxiety and risk perception, were associated with changes in vaccination attitudes. As these attitudes can vary depending on time and circumstances, continuous interdisciplinary efforts are required to ensure effective vaccine programs.