COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance in Mexico: a web-based nationwide survey

• Published in: Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública
• Main Authors: Diego Ramonfaur, David Eugenio Hinojosa-González, Gloria Paulina Rodriguez-Gomez, David Alejandro Iruegas-Nuñez, Eduardo Flores-Villalba
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2021
• Subjects: covid-19; vaccination refusal; anti-vaccination movement; mass vaccination; surveys and questionnaires; mexico; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2021.133; https://doaj.org/article/4fea23300c034c79a7c3cd9b57d688cd

Objective. To identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among the Mexican population. Methods. In a web-based nationwide survey in early December 2020, respondents were inquired about their sociodemographic characteristics and their willingness to accept a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine given a 50% or 90% effectiveness. A logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with hesitancy and acceptance. Results. A total 3 768 responses were analyzed. A 90% effective vaccine was accepted by 85% of respondents, while only 46% would accept being vaccinated with a 50% effective vaccine. In univariate analysis, each age group (40–49, 50–59, and ≥60) was strongly associated with vaccine hesitancy for a 90% effective vaccine (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.38, 0.63; OR 0.33, 95 CI 0.26, 0.41; and OR 0.28, 95 CI 0.21, 0.38, respectively) compared to the 18–39 age group. After multivariable adjustment, similar magnitudes of association were observed. Being female and higher socioeconomic status were also associated with higher vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions. Vaccine hesitancy represents a major public health problem in Mexico and is driven by multiple factors. Our study provides relevant insights for the development of effective policies and strategies to ensure widespread vaccination in Mexico.