Student COVID-19 vaccination preferences in China: A discrete choice experiment

OBJECTIVE: This study uses a discrete choice experiment (DCE) questionnaire to investigate student vaccination preferences for both intrinsic and extrinsic attributes. METHODS: A two-part DCE questionnaire was distributed to 1,138 students through face-to-face interviews at vaccination centers in Qingdao, China. Conditional logit models were used to understand student preference trade-offs. Mixed logit models (MLM) and sub-group analysis were conducted to understanding student preference heterogeneity. RESULTS: We found that students preferred vaccines with fewer side effects (β = 0.845; 95% CI, 0.779–0.911), administered through third level health facilities (β = 0.170; 95% CI, 0.110–0.230), and had at least 1 year duration of protection (β = 0.396; 95% CI, 0.332–0.461. Higher perception of COVID-19 risks (β = 0.492; 95% CI, 0.432–0.552) increased the likelihood of student vaccination uptake. Surprisingly, vaccine effectiveness (60%) and percentages of acquaintances vaccinated (60%) reduced vaccination utility, which points to free-rider problems. In addition, we find that student study majors did not contribute to preference heterogeneity, and the main disparities in preferences were attributed to student risk tolerances. CONCLUSION: Both intrinsic and extrinsic attributes were influential factors shaping student preferences for COVID-19 vaccines. Our results inform universities and local governments across China on targeting their vaccination programs.