The Relationship between Media-consumption Habits and the Intention to Take the COVID-19 Vaccine

What makes people plan to take the COVID-19 vaccine or not? This has been a pressing topic for policy-makers and academic researchers alike. Particularly, the characteristics and attitudes that contribute to vaccination intentions are still to be known. The current research is taking an ambitious goal, which is to find a link between media-consumption habits, and the intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Drawing from two large samples, on from the United States, and one from the United Kingdom, the study wants to find what information sources (related to health and general news) are associated with vaccine hesitancy. The study has around 5,000 participants, with rich data related to news consumption, media trust, misconceptions about the coronavirus, and personal attitudes towards infection risk and personal safety habits. While drawing from the theory of planned behavior, our research shows that the sources of information, along with demographic variables, predict the level of knowledge about the coronavirus, and the perceived threat of getting infected, which then predict vaccination intention. While there are some differences across the two countries, this study will contribute to our understanding of how media and information sources can be detrimental to the success of vaccination efforts.