Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy: Social Isolation in Relation to Social Media Addiction and COVID-19 Anxiety.

coronavirus anxiety coronavirus anxiety scale covid-19 social isolation social media addiction social media use disorder scale vaccine hesitancy vaccine hesitation scale

Journal

Cureus
ISSN: 2168-8184
Titre abrégé: Cureus
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101596737

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Sep 2022
Historique:
accepted: 07 09 2022
entrez: 2 11 2022
pubmed: 3 11 2022
medline: 3 11 2022
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Despite significant advancements in immunization over the last century, vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to world health. Health-related information available from a variety of sources, including new media such as social media platforms, can encourage vaccine hesitancy. The aim of this study is to determine the level of vaccine hesitation among adults, specifically their belief in the advantages of vaccination and their perceptions of vaccine-related dangers in relation to social media addiction and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) anxiety. Between December 2021 and January 2022, 454 adults participated in an online cross-sectional survey consisting of the social media use disorder scale, the vaccine hesitancy scale, and the coronavirus anxiety scale. The results of the study revealed a strong correlation between social media addiction, vaccine hesitation, and COVID-19 anxiety. Given the potential for misinformation to spread through social media, especially in a situation like a pandemic, the conscious use of social media should be emphasized and anti-addiction measures are required. Novel programs including online interventions should be developed to promote vaccination among social media addicts who have relatively high vaccination hesitancy.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Despite significant advancements in immunization over the last century, vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to world health. Health-related information available from a variety of sources, including new media such as social media platforms, can encourage vaccine hesitancy. The aim of this study is to determine the level of vaccine hesitation among adults, specifically their belief in the advantages of vaccination and their perceptions of vaccine-related dangers in relation to social media addiction and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) anxiety.
MATERIALS AND METHODS METHODS
Between December 2021 and January 2022, 454 adults participated in an online cross-sectional survey consisting of the social media use disorder scale, the vaccine hesitancy scale, and the coronavirus anxiety scale.
RESULTS RESULTS
The results of the study revealed a strong correlation between social media addiction, vaccine hesitation, and COVID-19 anxiety.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Given the potential for misinformation to spread through social media, especially in a situation like a pandemic, the conscious use of social media should be emphasized and anti-addiction measures are required. Novel programs including online interventions should be developed to promote vaccination among social media addicts who have relatively high vaccination hesitancy.

Identifiants

pubmed: 36320979
doi: 10.7759/cureus.29705
pmc: PMC9616316
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

e29705

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2022, Erinç et al.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Auteurs

Zeynep Özün Erinç (ZÖ)

Family Medicine, İzmir Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, İzmir, TUR.

Kayı Eliaçık (K)

Pediatrics, İzmir Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, İzmir, TUR.

Gülberat Ince (G)

Pediatrics, İzmir Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, İzmir, TUR.

Yasemin Kılıç Öztürk (Y)

Family Medicine, İzmir Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, İzmir, TUR.

Ferhan Elmalı (F)

Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, TUR.

Büşra Emir (B)

Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, TUR.

Ali Kanık (A)

Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, TUR.

Mehmet Helvacı (M)

Pediatrics, İzmir Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, İzmir, TUR.

Classifications MeSH