Differences in the Perceived Likelihood of Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine

There are limited studies on the perceived likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine among the general US population and its subpopulations. We examined the association between the perceived likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine with the self-reported likelihood of contracting COVID-19, social-distancing stress, COVID-19 diagnosis status, mental health disorders, and sociodemographic characteristics. The data were collected using a national cross-sectional survey (N = 5404) between 13 May 2021 and 9 January 2022. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Setting: United States. Participants: Adults aged ≥ 18 years. The majority of US adults (67.34%) indicated they intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. There was a decreased perceived likelihood of getting vaccinated associated with those aged 18–49 years (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 0.29–59; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.20–0.85); with a less than college education (AOR = 0.37–58; 95% CI = 0.28–0.68); with no health insurance (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.40, 0.58); with no perceived likelihood of contracting COVID-19 (AOR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.68, 0.89); and with anxiety/depression (AOR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.59, 0.76). Black/African Americans had a lower perceived likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine (AOR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.71, 0.98), while Asians (AOR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.35, 2.74) and Hispanics/Latinos (AOR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.74) had a higher perceived likelihood compared with Whites. Individuals reporting social distancing as stressful (AOR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.01, 1.45) were associated with an increased perceive likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Our study showed that younger adults, Black/African Americans, and those with a less than college education, no health insurance, or anxiety/depression may be less likely to receive vaccination. Future research should examine the explanatory mechanisms contributing to the lower perceived likelihood of vaccination among these groups, such as barriers to vaccine education or vaccine access. Public health interventions should prioritize these populations to improve vaccination rates.