Understanding Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Participation
Author Information
Author(s): Anna Ernsting, Sonia Lippke, Ralf Schwarzer, Michael Schneider
Primary Institution: Freie Universität Berlin
Hypothesis
Risk perception and outcome expectancies influence intentions to receive vaccination, which in turn predicts participation.
Conclusion
Risk perception and outcome expectancies significantly influence vaccination intentions and participation, with past behavior moderating this relationship.
Supporting Evidence
- Risk perception and positive outcome expectancies were positively associated with intention.
- Negative outcome expectancies were negatively correlated with intention.
- Intention at Time 1 mediated the effect of risk perception and outcome expectancies on vaccination behavior at Time 2.
- Past behavior moderated the relationship between motivational variables and intention formation.
Takeaway
This study shows that how worried people are about getting the flu and what they think will happen if they get vaccinated can affect whether they decide to get the flu shot.
Methodology
German employees completed questionnaires at baseline and at a 7-month follow-up, with regression analyses conducted for mediation and moderated mediation.
Potential Biases
Self-reported measures may introduce bias, and the study's findings may not be generalizable due to the specific context.
Limitations
Vaccination behavior was measured by self-report, which may impair validity, and there was a systematic dropout of participants at T2.
Participant Demographics
Participants were German employees, with a mean age of 43.1 years, including 55% men and 45% women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P = .02
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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