The overall purpose of this study is to address the factors associated with an individual's personal willingness to get the vaccine and attitudes about potential public policy approaches to implementation of a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Additionally, to evaluate how these attitudes change over time. The 1200 participants will be recruited by Ipsos (Ipsos KnowledgePanel®) from their nationally representative panel to participate in a survey at Time 1 and 1 year later. The information collected will include demographics, health status, household composition, experiences with COVID-19, attitudes about vaccines in general, COVID-19 vaccine specific attitudes, willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine acceptability, and attitudes regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The investigators anticipate that those who live in urban areas and who are older, have greater knowledge of COVID-19, who have known someone who was hospitalized for COVID-19, and have generally positive attitudes about vaccines will be more willing to get a vaccine. The primary reasons for willingness will be personal safety and desire to return to normal activities. The investigators also anticipate that those who vary on socio-demographics (e.g., live in urban areas, have more liberal political views), have greater knowledge of COVID-19, who have known someone who was hospitalized for COVID- 19, and have generally positive attitudes about vaccines will be more supportive of mandatory vaccination strategies. The investigators anticipate that attitudes will change over time in response to the current status of the pandemic and of available data about the vaccine's efficacy and safety.
The overall objective is to address attitudes about potential public policy approaches to
implementation of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine and
the factors associated with an individual's personal willingness to get the vaccine once
available, and to assess how these attitudes change over time.
First specific aim:
1a. To describe participants' perceptions of public health strategies including mandatory
vaccination requirements (e.g., travel, school attendance, work place requirements (e.g.,
schools, health care facilities, offices), working in a health care facility, health care
providers, living in residential facilities) and targeted age groups (e.g., children,
adolescents, adults, elderly).
1. b. To determine how attitudes about strategies are related to socio-demographic
characteristics (e.g., age, education, race/ethnicity, political views and political
party affiliation, household structure), knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, personal experience
with the infection, and other vaccine attitudes.
Example hypothesis: Those who vary on socio-demographics (e.g., live in urban areas,
have more liberal political views), have greater knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, who have known
someone who was hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2, and have generally positive attitudes about
vaccines will be more supportive of mandatory vaccination strategies.
Second specific aim:
2. a. To determine the relationship of socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., age,
education, race/ethnicity, political views and political party affiliation, household
structure), knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, personal experience with the infection, and other
vaccine attitudes with willingness to get the vaccine.
2b. To evaluate the primary reasons driving vaccine acceptance including safety issues
(personal, family, or global), desire to return to normal activities (e.g., school, work, or
social events), and desire to no longer need to wear a mask.
Example hypotheses: Those who vary on socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., live in urban
areas, who are older), have greater knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, who have known someone who was
hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2, and have generally positive attitudes about vaccines will be
more willing to get a vaccine. The primary reasons for willingness will be personal safety
and desire to return to normal activities.
Third specific aim: This specific aim focuses on how the findings from aim 1 and aim 2 change
over time.
3a. To evaluate how national level perceptions of public health strategies (aim 1) and an
individual's personal willingness to get the vaccine (aim 2) change over time.
Given the unknown trajectory, there are several possible scenarios. For example, if
nationally there is a decrease in new infections with lifting of the restrictions then the
investigators hypothesize that there will be an overall decrease in support for mandatory
strategies and in willingness to accept the vaccine. Alternatively, if new infections are
rising and restrictions are in place, then there will be an overall increase in
acceptability. The investigators are also prepared to adapt our surveys should one or more
vaccines become licensed and available prior to the time 1 or time 2 survey.
3b. The investigators will explore whether changes in perceptions of public health strategies
(aim 1) and an individual's personal willingness to get the vaccine (aim 2) vary based on
relevant socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., region of the country, political views and
political party affiliation, household structure, race/ethnicity) and, when appropriate,
changes within those characteristics (e.g., when rates of infections are changing
differentially across regions). The investigators also will explore whether changes in
perceptions of public health strategies (aim 1) and an individual's personal willingness to
get the vaccine (aim 2) vary based on perceptions of societal events. For example, the
investigators will evaluate if changes in vaccine attitudes are associated with regional
differences in whether cases are increasing or decreasing; changes in household structure
(e.g., the presence of elders in the home); or perceptions of media reports.
Inclusion Criteria:
- 18 years of age and older
- Able to read English and Spanish
- Panelists with Ipsos (KnowledgePanel)
Exclusion Criteria:
- 17 years of age and younger
- Not able to read English or Spanish
- Not a member of Ipsos (KnowledgePanel)
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, United States
Susan L Rosenthal, PhD, Principal Investigator
Columbia University