Resumen de Social networks and COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in Mexican older adults

Julio M. Fernandez Villa, Victoria Galnares Carcoba, Juan S. Solis Mata, Circe Flores Ruiz, Mario U. Perez Zepeda

• español

  Introducción: Las redes sociales ganaron importancia con la pandemia de COVID-19. Con la disponibilidad de vacuna COVID-19, la indecisión para vacunarse frena este proceso; uno de los factores que se estudian es la información compartida en las redes sociales. Objetivo: Determinar si el uso de las redes sociales está asociado con la disposición a recibir la vacuna COVID-19. Métodos: Este es un análisis secundario de ENSANUT-COVID-19, que midió el impacto de la pandemia en la población mexicana. Se realizaron modelos bivariados y regresiones logísticas. Resultados: De un total de 1490 adultos mayores, el 59,3% eran mujeres, cuya edad media fue de 73,5 (DE 6,8), y el 53,3% (n = 795) estaban dispuestos a vacunarse para COVID-19. En un modelo de regresión logística multivariada ajustado por variables sociodemográficas, se encontró que el uso de WhatsApp era una variable significativa relacionada con menor riesgo de indecisión para vacunarse (OR 0,43; IC de 95%; 0,2–0,85; p = 0,016). Otras variables relacionadas con la indecisión para vacunarse fueron ser mujer (OR 1,58; IC 95%; 2–1,23, p < 0,001) y conocimiento sobre COVID-19 (OR 1,32; IC 95%; 1,01–1,74, p = 0,047). Conclusión: El uso de redes sociales como WhatsApp es un factor que puede influir en la elección de vacunarse contra COVID-19 en adultos mayores. El uso de redes sociales, entre otras variables, debe tenerse en cuenta al analizar los factores que conducen a la indecisión de los adultos mayores para vacunarse.

• English

  Introduction: The importance of social networks is growing, impacting everyday life. At this stage of global COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, hesitancy to get immunized is slowing this process; it is thought that this decision could be impacted by information shared on social networks. Objective: Determine whether the use of social networks is associated with the willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the ENSANUT COVID-19 study, that measures the impact of the pandemic on the Mexican population. Only older adults, aged 65 years or older, were included in this work. Face to face interviews were performed to determine social network utilization, willingness to get vaccinated, and socio-demographic information on health and COVID-19. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were performed. Results: From a total of 1,490 older adults, 59.3 % were women whose mean age was 73.5 (SD 6.8), and 53.3% (n = 795) were willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine when available. In an adjusted multivariate logistic regression model, WhatsApp was found to be a significant variable related to lower risk of vaccine hesitancy (OR 0.43, 95% CI, 0.2–0.85; p = 0.016). Other variables related to vaccine hesitancy were being a woman (OR 1.58, 95% CI, 2–1.23; p < 0.001) and COVID-19 literacy (OR 1.32, 95% CI, 1.01–1.74; p = 0.047). Conclusion: The use of social networks such as WhatsApp is a factor that can influence older adult vaccination against COVID-19. Social networks, among other variables, should be taken into account when analyzing factors that lead to vaccination hesitancy in older adults.