Drivers of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among 20–30-year-olds in the United States - a convergent mixed methods study

Abstract

In the United States, there has been over 1,000,000 deaths and more than 90 million cases of COVID-19. As of April 19, 2021, all adults aged 16 and older were eligible to receive vaccination. Nevertheless, young adults are being vaccinated at a slower rate than older adults. The current study aimed to identify potential factors associated with young adult vaccine hesitancy through a mixed methods approach comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated through both a quantitative survey and qualitative in-depth interviews. The survey captured 350 responses from young adults aged 20 to 30 living in four states: California, Mississippi, Oregon and Texas. The online survey differentiated between vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals and analyzed different aspects of vaccine hesitancy from political trust to COVID-19 vaccine beliefs. Sixteen semi-structured in-depth interviews lasting 20 to 30 minutes were performed on Zoom. The main factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in young adults for both the survey and interviews were social drivers, trust in institutions, barriers to vaccination, perceptions of the vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccine information quality. Study findings will increase understanding of COVID-19 vaccination decision-making pathways of young adults with the purpose of informing future interventions and policy for promoting vaccination rates in young adults.