The Serbian COVID-19 Stress Scale and vaccine acceptance: is there a place for COVID-19-related distress in explaining attitudes towards vaccination?

OBJECTIVES: Previous research has shown that the COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS), a measure assessing various dimensions of distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic, is associated with self-protective behaviours; however, it remains unknown whether this distress can be used to predict attitudes towards vaccination. The purpose of this study was to validate the Serbian CSS (Serbian-CSS) and to explore its predictive power over and above certain sociodemographic characteristics, individual difference variables (attitudes and personality) and general distress in relation to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. STUDY DESIGN: An online cross-sectional study was conducted that targeted users of different social network groups at the beginning of the public COVID-19 vaccination programme in Serbia. METHODS: A large, online study sample (N = 3129) provided self-reported data on COVID-19-related distress, health and sociodemographic indicators, individual difference variables and attitudes towards vaccination. RESULTS: The Serbian-CSS is a valid and reliable instrument that assesses six dimensions of COVID-19 distress. The strongest predictors of vaccine acceptance were attitudes towards immigrants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31, 0.41), followed by education (AOR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.27, 1.88) and prepandemic mental health issues (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.30, 2.01). CONCLUSIONS: The level of distress measured by the CSS had a non-substantial contribution to vaccine acceptance, which is probably because of the mild level of distress that was observed at the time of assessment. Public health messaging that relies on the distribution of information is not sufficient to address strongly held beliefs against vaccination. The study provides a benchmark for future cross-cultural research regarding negative affective states associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.