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Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?

INTRODUCTION: Vaccination is an important measure used to control the spread of COVID19. The estimation of risk versus benefit of vaccination is based on the understanding of information about the vaccine. Statistics are frequently part of communications about COVID19. Individuals that do not have a...

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Autores principales: Kahlenberg, Halle, Williams, Delaney, van Tilburg, Miranda A. L., Jiroutek, Michael R.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10513463/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37744510
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1230030
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author Kahlenberg, Halle
Williams, Delaney
van Tilburg, Miranda A. L.
Jiroutek, Michael R.
author_facet Kahlenberg, Halle
Williams, Delaney
van Tilburg, Miranda A. L.
Jiroutek, Michael R.
author_sort Kahlenberg, Halle
collection PubMed
description INTRODUCTION: Vaccination is an important measure used to control the spread of COVID19. The estimation of risk versus benefit of vaccination is based on the understanding of information about the vaccine. Statistics are frequently part of communications about COVID19. Individuals that do not have an adequate foundation of statistical knowledge may not be able to properly assess associated risks and benefits. This study aims to assess the association between statistical literacy and hesitation to receive the COVID19 vaccine. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 2,138 adults, recruited through CINT United States, Inc., (Lawrenceville, NJ; http://www.cint.com), completed an internet survey in the summer of 2021. This survey collected demographic measures and information about COVID19 vaccination status. The competency of respondents on various basic statistical concepts was assessed along with the corresponding confidence of respondents in their answers. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to assess the relationship between vaccine hesitancy and statistical literacy while controlling for covariates of interest. RESULTS: Statistical literacy was found to have a negligible association with COVID19 vaccine hesitancy (OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.02). In addition, differences in the proportion receiving the COVID19 vaccine between political affiliations, income levels, race groups, and ethnicities were observed. DISCUSSION: The statistical knowledge of the general American public is not commensurate with the need to be literate in basic statistical concepts in the data-driven world in which we live. An effective way to stem vaccine hesitancy may rely on increased statistical knowledge to not be biased by preconceived beliefs shaped by misinformation.
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spelling pubmed-105134632023-09-22 Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy? Kahlenberg, Halle Williams, Delaney van Tilburg, Miranda A. L. Jiroutek, Michael R. Front Public Health Public Health INTRODUCTION: Vaccination is an important measure used to control the spread of COVID19. The estimation of risk versus benefit of vaccination is based on the understanding of information about the vaccine. Statistics are frequently part of communications about COVID19. Individuals that do not have an adequate foundation of statistical knowledge may not be able to properly assess associated risks and benefits. This study aims to assess the association between statistical literacy and hesitation to receive the COVID19 vaccine. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 2,138 adults, recruited through CINT United States, Inc., (Lawrenceville, NJ; http://www.cint.com), completed an internet survey in the summer of 2021. This survey collected demographic measures and information about COVID19 vaccination status. The competency of respondents on various basic statistical concepts was assessed along with the corresponding confidence of respondents in their answers. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to assess the relationship between vaccine hesitancy and statistical literacy while controlling for covariates of interest. RESULTS: Statistical literacy was found to have a negligible association with COVID19 vaccine hesitancy (OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.02). In addition, differences in the proportion receiving the COVID19 vaccine between political affiliations, income levels, race groups, and ethnicities were observed. DISCUSSION: The statistical knowledge of the general American public is not commensurate with the need to be literate in basic statistical concepts in the data-driven world in which we live. An effective way to stem vaccine hesitancy may rely on increased statistical knowledge to not be biased by preconceived beliefs shaped by misinformation. Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-09-07 /pmc/articles/PMC10513463/ /pubmed/37744510 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1230030 Text en Copyright © 2023 Kahlenberg, Williams, van Tilburg and Jiroutek. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Public Health
Kahlenberg, Halle
Williams, Delaney
van Tilburg, Miranda A. L.
Jiroutek, Michael R.
Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
title Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
title_full Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
title_fullStr Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
title_full_unstemmed Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
title_short Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
title_sort vaccine hesitancy for covid19: what is the role of statistical literacy?
topic Public Health
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10513463/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37744510
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1230030
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